WHICH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT YOU VOTED IN TWO YEARS AGO, MAY BE DIFFERENT NOW. HERE'S WHY.
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Voting in the midterms is a civic duty that some people can't wait to participate in.
"I have always been a proud participant in the happenings of local government," voter Dan Coleman said.
"We pay so much attention to national politics and everyone's vote is a drop in the bucket. But the more local an election gets, the more your vote actually counts," voter Ellen Singer added.
It's participation that may be different this year. Here's why. Every 10 years, state lawmakers create new districts based on population. Texas has gained two new seats - and the Houston area got one of them. However, the new districts mean many people are now in different ones.
"It's interesting to have that forced on you," Singer said. "Just suddenly, 'Oh, here's your new leader.' It seems a little distant and undemocratic."
NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS MAY MEAN NO ELECTION NIGHT DRAMA IN HARRIS COUNTY
Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said the new districts eliminate a lot of Election Night drama.
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"Of the 38 districts that were drawn, only three to four of them are remotely competitive," Jones said. "Those are all in south Texas."
The reason why Jones said this is because Republicans created districts that give their candidates the best chance to win. There's no better example Jones explained than the newest district in the Houston area.
"The natural Republican advantage in District 38 is a whopping 25%," Jones explained. "Meaning, it is next to impossible for a Republican to lose or a Democrat to win."
Wesley Hunt is the Republican running in that race, and he said drawing a district with many Republican voters isn't a bad thing.
"You know exactly what the people want," Hunt said. "They tell you what they want, and you get to represent them accordingly in D.C."
However, Hunt's opponent, Duncan Klusmann, is running against how state lawmakers drew up the district.
"What do the people in Cypress, Tomball, and Klein have in connection with folks living in Afton Oaks? If you look at neighborhoods across the city, they're split up into three sections," Klussmann said.
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BECAUSE OF THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, AND ADDED SEATS, TEXAS COULD PLAY A ROLE IN TIPPING THE BALANCE OF POWER IN D.C.
Right now, Democrats control the U.S. House, but not by much. Republicans only need to gain six seats to take control. One of those seats is expected to come from Houston, and three others could come from south Texas.
If Republicans take the House, and Democrats hold the Senate, here's what it could mean.
"Either Republicans and Democrats will have to come to an agreement on consensus items, or nothing is going to occur," Jones said.
Early voting begins Oct. 24 in Texas. Election Day is Nov. 8.
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