Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that Texas House District 118 would have its runoff election on Nov. 2. Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 18.
A statewide election that day will include eight proposed amendments to the Texas constitution; several Bexar County school districts and municipalities also have elections on Nov. 2.
Republican John Lujan and Democrat Frank Ramirez earned the first and second most votes, respectively, from a Sept. 28 special election to fill the seat vacated by former state Rep. Leo Pacheco, who resigned in August from the Texas Legislature to take a position with San Antonio College.
Whoever wins the runoff will serve through the rest of the term, which ends in 2022.
The winner will not participate in the current Texas Legislature special session, however. That session, the third of the year, started on Sept. 20 and lasts for 30 days.
Lujan previously held the seat for HD 118 after winning a special election in 2016 following Democrat Joe Farias’ resignation in 2015, but lost it the following regular election to former Democratic state Rep. Tomas Uresti. Lujan tried again for the seat in 2018 but lost to Pacheco.
This race marks Ramirez’ first run for office. He left his job with Councilwoman Ana Sandoval (D7) as her director of zoning and planning to enter the race. Before that, he worked as chief of staff for Tomas Uresti while Uresti held the HD 118 seat.
The Sept. 28 election saw a nearly 50-50 split among voters by party, foreshadowing a possible repeat of the 2016 special election that Lujan won. Only 6.9% of registered voters cast a ballot for that election, and turnout for the runoff is expected to be even lower.
Texans have the opportunity to vote on eight different proposed constitutional amendments on Nov. 2. Among the Bexar County school districts and municipalities that have elections that day is Judson Independent School District, which is asking voters to approve a $302 million bond program to fund renovations, land purchases, recreational facility updates, and upgrade and purchase instructional technology.
Find a sample ballot for the Nov. 2 election here. Early voting for the Nov. 2 election runs from Monday, Oct. 18 to Friday, Oct. 29. Find early voting location and hours here.
