HOUSTON — Long before Harris County voters walk into a Vote Center and make their selections this fall, election workers are putting the machinery of democracy through a dress rehearsal of its own.

The Harris County Clerk’s Office began Logic and Accuracy testing on Tuesday, September 15, ahead of the November 3, 2026 General and Special Elections. The testing is designed to verify that electronic voting equipment properly displays ballots, records voter selections and accurately tabulates predetermined test results. Texas law requires logic and accuracy testing before electronic voting systems are used in an election.

The scale is unmistakably Harris County-sized. Local reporting from the Election Headquarters on September 16 said officials expect to test more than 10,000 pieces of voting equipment before they are distributed to more than 600 voting locations. Workers use preset test ballots with known outcomes, allowing election personnel to compare what the machines record against what the results are supposed to be.

It is technical work, but its purpose is easy to understand: test before voters arrive.

Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, whose office resumed responsibility for administering county elections in 2023, has described L&A testing as an important component of election transparency and accuracy. Representatives associated with both major political parties participate in or observe portions of the testing process, providing another layer of review. The Clerk’s official website lists the 2026 Logic and Accuracy testing announcement among its current election communications.

 

The testing also comes at an important point on the election calendar. Federal, state and local contests will appear on ballots for the November election, and Harris County voters will soon be able to review their individual ballot information through the county’s election website.

Early voting begins Monday, October 19, and runs through Friday, October 30. Harris County Vote Centers will generally operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except Sunday, October 25, when hours are noon to 7 p.m. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with Vote Centers open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For voters eligible to vote by mail, applications must be received—not merely postmarked—by Friday, October 23. Texas eligibility includes voters who are 65 or older, meet the statutory sickness or disability standard, will be outside their county during the applicable voting period, expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day, or meet certain confinement requirements.

Texas also identifies seven primary acceptable forms of photo identification for in-person voting. Voters who cannot reasonably obtain one may have additional options using supporting identification and a Reasonable Impediment Declaration.

For Harris County voters, the smartest equipment in the building still has one job: correctly record the choices made by the people standing in front of it.

For sample ballots, Vote Center information, voting-by-mail guidance and election updates, visit

HarrisVotes.com and follow on Social @HarrisVotes