BEAUMONT, Texas — Election Day is here as voters in Southeast Texas and across the country head to the polls to pick the next president of the United States. Former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris go head-to-head in that race.
There are several other key races that people in the Southeast Texas area and Texas will decide. In Texas, voters will also decide a hotly contested U.S. Senate race between incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred.
As of 3:25 p.m., more than 9,500 voters have shown up to the polls in Jefferson County, according to County Clerk Roxanna Acosta-Hellberg. She says they are expecting double that number by the time polls close at 7 p.m.
In Jefferson County we're watching the race for sheriff as Zena Stephens defends her seat against Steven Broussard. We're also keeping up as Kate Carroll takes on Rashawn "Shawn" Webb-Locke for the office of Jefferson County Tax Assessor-Collector. We're continuing to watch Beaumont ISD's tax rate approval election that the district says, among other things, will provide raises for teachers and staff.
Due to network coverage of the election today, 12News at 6 p.m. will not be seen over-the-air, or on cable or satellite, but will be available to stream on 12News+ via Roku, FireTV or AppleTV. You can also watch ABC News election coverage on 12News+ along with several spots covering local results throughout the night. If Network coverage preempts the late news it will stream on 12News+.
We're keeping a running account of Election Day below from our reporters across the Southeast Texas area and the state, plus we're working with our TEGNA Texas sister stations to make sure you're covered wherever you are in the state.
What you need to know
- 2024 Voting Guide: Where to vote, what's on the ballot and what you need to bring to the polls
- VERIFYING claims from Kamala Harris and Tim Walz during the 2024 presidential election
- VERIFYING claims from Donald Trump and JD Vance during the 2024 presidential campaign
- Electoral College: How many votes does each state get?
- What to know about the candidates for U.S. Senate
Election Day weather outlook
A widespread rain chance arrived mid-morning Tuesday bringing a line of downpours and storms. Scattered rain should remain in Southeast Texas through the early afternoon as a cold front passes through with the rain.
If you're planning to vote on Tuesday, mid to late afternoon should afford you the driest time at the polls today.
Beaumont Independent School District superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen stopped by the 12News studios this morning to explain why voters in the district are being asked to approve a tax rate.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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