Clear Lake Shores voters could find themselves in different precincts this November than the ones where they cast primary ballots in March, after Galveston County adopted new voting maps between elections and now faces an emergency lawsuit at the Texas Supreme Court.
Galveston County Commissioners Court voted 5-0 on June 29 to redraw precinct boundaries for commissioners, constables and justices of the peace. County Judge Mark Henry made the motion; Commissioner Hank Dugie seconded it. More than 50 residents, clergy and community advocates addressed the court before the vote at a special session that lasted about two hours.
The March 2026 primaries were conducted under the county's 2013 and 2021 maps. Now the county plans to use the newly drawn 2026 maps for the November general election, according to FOX 26 Houston. That means some voters will face different candidates in November than those they chose in the primary. Others won't be able to vote in their justice of the peace race until 2028, creating a six-year gap from the last election in that seat.
No other jurisdiction in Texas has switched maps after primary elections had already been held. Democracy Docket reported it may be the first such move in the country.
County confirms the switch in court
At a July 28 federal court hearing in the long-running Petteway v. Galveston County redistricting case, Joe Nixon, an attorney representing Galveston County from the Public Interest Legal Foundation, confirmed the plan. "(T)he 2026 map is the legal map that's now in effect, and the elections in November are being held under the 2026 map lines," Nixon told U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, according to Democracy Docket.
The judge asked for precedent. Nixon could not provide any.
The day after the June 29 vote, county officials filed a motion arguing the ongoing federal lawsuit challenging the 2021 maps was now moot because a new map had been passed, according to the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.
Voting rights groups go to Texas Supreme Court
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, the Campaign Legal Center and the UCLA Voting Rights Project filed an emergency petition asking the Texas Supreme Court to block the county from using the 2026 maps in November. The groups argue the mid-cycle switch violates the Equal Protection Clause, the Texas Constitution and the Texas Election Code, which requires that general election nominees be selected through a primary.
Mark Gaber of the Campaign Legal Center said in the Tuesday press release that the county "has once again passed an unlawful map — this time in the middle of an ongoing election season."
No ruling from the Texas Supreme Court had been reported as of Friday, Aug. 7.
What it means for Clear Lake Shores
Clear Lake Shores is among the Galveston County communities directly affected by the boundary changes, though the specific precinct-level shifts have not been detailed in publicly available documents. The county has more than 350,000 residents, according to the Houston Chronicle. Black and Latino voters make up nearly half the population, according to Campaign Legal Center.
The redistricting dispute has a long legal history. In October 2023, U.S. District Judge Brown struck down the county's 2021 maps as violating the Voting Rights Act. The Fifth Circuit reversed that ruling, and the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the reversal. Constitutional claims alleging intentional racial discrimination remain pending in federal court.
No public statement from County Judge Henry or other commissioners responding to the criticism was found. The Greater Clear Lake News has requested comment from the county judge's office.
The next milestone is a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court on the emergency petition. Residents can check their precinct assignment at the Galveston County Elections Office website or by calling 409-766-2082.
