Harris County voters can question 18 state, county and judicial candidates from home Thursday, Oct. 15, during a free virtual open house ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.
The event runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and uses an interactive online platform where candidates are organized into virtual rooms by office, as first reported by Community Impact. Attendees pick which rooms to visit, listen to conversations already underway and ask their own questions, according to the event's Eventbrite page.
For Clear Lake-area residents, two races on the forum's slate have direct local impact. The Harris County Judge contest features Democrat Letitia Plummer, a former Houston City Council member, against Republican Orlando Sanchez, a real estate professional and former county treasurer, according to the Houston Chronicle's voter guide. The State Board of Education (SBOE) District 8 race, which covers parts of Greater Houston including the Clear Lake area, pits Democrat Dana Van De Walker, a community college administrator, against Republican incumbent Audrey G. Young.
The forum also includes State Rep. Gene Wu, a Democrat running for re-election in Texas House District 137. That district covers western Houston, not the Clear Lake area. Local voters fall in House District 24.
Only three of the 18 participating candidates have been named publicly. The full roster of races was not available as of Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The Howard University Alumni Club of Houston (HUAC-Houston) organized the forum in partnership with the Urban League of Texas, Houston Area Urban League, CAIR Texas, CAIR Action, LULAC Council 60 and the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice. Every qualified candidate in the covered Harris County races was invited. There are no participation fees, endorsements or ideological screenings.
HUAC-Houston President Cris Wright told Community Impact the format is meant to lower the barrier for busy voters.
"Somebody may not drive across town after work for an in-person forum … But they might click a link while cooking—or ordering—dinner to have a quick chat," Wright said.
Before candidate conversations begin, the platform offers a brief "Civics 101" introduction to each office. Organizers recommend joining from a desktop or laptop for the best experience, though tablets and phones also work.
The event is free.
Residents can RSVP through the Eventbrite listing. Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 19, and runs through Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
