Early Voting for Party Primaries Began on 2/20/24. Here's Where to Vote in the Sharpstown Area

Can't wait until March 5 to vote in the primary?

From February 20 to March 1, voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots early, helping the Democrat and Republican parties pick candidates for this November's general election. Dozens of national and local seats are up for election, including U.S. president, state senator, district attorney, too many district judge positions to count, county tax assessor, county school trustee, and county constables.

Upon entering a voting center, each voter must choose to cast either a Democrat ballot or a Republican ballot (the same person cannot vote in both primaries).

Once the final ballots come in on Election Day, March 5, county election workers will tally the votes. The top candidates from each party will go head-to-head in November's general election.

Spotlight: Constable Precinct 5 Race

None of the races are quite as hyperlocal as last November's City Council District J race, but the Harris County Constable Precinct 5 race comes closest. Harris County is divided into eight constable precincts, and all of Sharpstown is inside Precinct 5, which is currently patrolled by elected constable Ted Heap and his deputies.

Since Heap's second four-year term expires on December 31, he's ineligible to run again. That leaves his seat open to five contenders: one Republican (Terry Allbritton) and four Democrats (Jerome Moore, Don Quang Dinh, Jerry Rodriguez, and William Gorman). (The links above lead to the candidates' campaign websites.)

Unlike the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which primarily patrols outside Houston city limits, Harris County constables patrol county parks, toll roads, and neighborhoods throughout their precincts, including within Houston.

However, unlike some neighborhoods, Sharpstown does not pay to contract Harris County constables for extra patrols. Instead, the Sharpstown Civic Association hires private company S.E.A.L. Security to patrol the neighborhood. Former SCA president Charmaine LeBlanc said that when the SCA switched from hiring Constable Precinct 5 to hiring S.E.A.L., it saved money and reduced crime.

Nowadays, in the Sharpstown area, you're most likely to spot a Constable Precinct 5 car in one of the local parks managed by Harris County: Bayland, Burnett Bayland, Monsignor Bill Pickard, or Arthur Storey.

How and Where to Vote in the Primary Election

To vote, bring a valid photo ID such as a Texas driver's license, Texas ID, or U.S. passport. If you want to bring a list of your candidate choices, write it on a piece of paper—because it's illegal for voters to bring their phones into a voting center. And, of course, make sure you've registered to vote ahead of time.

Early voting centers are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 12:00-7:00 PM on Sunday.

Below is a list of early voting centers in Sharpstown and surrounding Super Neighborhoods.

Sharpstown

• Bayland Community Center (Auditorium), 6400 Bissonnet St
• Chinese Community Center (Board Room), 9800 Town Park Dr

Alief

• Alief ISD Administration Building (Room 750), 4250 Cook Rd

Westchase

• Tracy Gee Community Center (Auditorium), 3599 Westcenter Dr

Voting locations may be subject to change, so don't forget to check the Harris County Election Department's map before you go.

For more election information, including personalized sample ballots, visit www.harrisvotes.com.

You can also read questionnaire responses from many candidates in the League of Women Voters of Houston's Voters Guide.