Voters on Tuesday are set to decide two special election runoffs in Fort Bend and Harris counties, including one that political observers are framing as a bellwether for how Texas’ November elections may play out.

In both races, the polls are scheduled to open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

In Fort Bend County, voters are deciding between Democratic educator Eliz Markowitz and Republican businessman Gary Gates, who finished first and second, respectively, when voters chose from an initial field of seven in November. The winner will finish the term of former state Rep. John Zerwas, a Richmond Republican who retired last year from his House District 28 seat.

The race has drawn considerable national attention because of Democrats’ aggressive push to win the district, which has historically elected Republican candidates. In their bid to gain control of the Texas House in 2020, Democrats are targeting a number of suburban districts whose populations are rapidly growing. District 28 is one such.

In Harris County, meanwhile, Democrat and former HISD trustee Anna Eastman and Republican power engineer Luis LaRotta are vying to replace former state Rep. Jessica Farrar, a Houston Democrat who represented House District 148 until she stepped down last year. The district is generally viewed as a safe seat for Democrats, though Republicans see an opportunity given special elections’ typically low turnouts.

More Information Election Day voting information For a map of Election Day voting locations in House District 28, click here. A list of the 20 Fort Bend County voting centers can be found here. For a map of Election Day voting locations in House District 148, click here. A list of the 37 Harris County voting centers can be found here. For a list of acceptable identification documents, click here.

Read More

The two elections have seen a wide disparity in turnout, with nearly 18,000 voters casting early and absentee ballots in Fort Bend County, compared to 3,116 in Harris County. The House District 28 race is likely to record the highest turnout of any special election runoff since at least 1992, surpassing the current record of nearly 22,000 votes, according to Rice University political scientist Mark Jones.

House District 148 covers area north of downtown and part of the Heights, extending northwest outside Loop 610. House District 28 runs from Simonton to Mission Bend and Katy to Rosenberg.

Voters in House District 148 may cast their ballot at any of the 37 locations in Harris County, while House District 28 voters may do so at any of the 20 Fort Bend County locations.

Though the outcomes Tuesday will determine who finishes the current term, both winners will have to defend their seats in the March primaries and again in November.

All four runoff candidates have filed to run again in their respective primary contests: Gates faces one opponent and Markowitz is unopposed; and Eastman is up against four opponents and LaRotta is unopposed.

jasper.scherer@chron.com