Harris County Reports 137,395 Early Ballots Cast After First Week

Harris County election officials reported Feb. 23 that 137,395 in-person and mail-in ballots had been cast after the first week of early voting for the March 3, 2026 primary, offering an early snapshot of turnout as the 10-day early voting window continues.

The total of 137,395 combines ballots cast at county polling locations and ballots returned by mail, according to the county’s election update on Feb. 23. County officials characterized the figure as a mid-cycle count following the initial seven days of the legally prescribed 10-day early voting period for the primary.

After seven days of voting, three days remained in the county’s 10-day early voting window. That schedule places the final round of early voting directly ahead of Election Day on March 3, 2026, when the primary will determine party nominees across state and local contests in Harris County.

The volume reported Feb. 23 will be watched by campaigns and local election administrators alike because it reflects both in-person turnout at Houston-area precincts and mail-in ballot processing across Harris County. The combined figure encompasses activity in neighborhoods from downtown Houston precincts to suburban sections of the county, as ballots processed at county facilities were included in the total.

Harris County’s update on Feb. 23 did not break down the 137,395 total by specific precincts, by-party registration, or by mail-in versus in-person counts. Election officials provided the aggregate figure to mark progress through the first week; updated totals are expected as early voting continues through the remaining days ahead of the March 3, 2026 primary.