Houston Judge Rejects Jewish Request for Extended Voting

A Harris County judge on Friday rejected a request to extend voting hours in a Houston City Council runoff, while urging county officials and the plaintiffs to work toward ensuring voters can cast ballots.

The lawsuit was filed against Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth and Houston city officials, and was heard Friday evening by Civil District Judge Tanya Garrison of the 157th Judicial District.

The plaintiffs sought a temporary restraining order that would have extended voting access, arguing that some voters had new motivation to participate in the runoff after recent developments in the campaign.

During the hearing, Garrison repeatedly asked attorneys for the plaintiffs why their clients had not voted during early voting or raised the issue earlier. Attorney Eric Nichols said the voters had received new information late in the campaign that energized them to vote.

One plaintiff, David Silberman, said in a declaration that recent developments, including information about an endorsement in the runoff, gave him “additional motivation” to vote.

Garrison denied the temporary restraining order, meaning voting hours will not be extended through the court order. Still, she said she encouraged both sides to find a practical resolution so eligible voters are not blocked from participating.

Nichols later told the Houston Chronicle that the case was not about any specific candidate or endorsement, but about voter access.

“This is not about a particular candidate,” he said. “It’s not about a particular endorsement. It is about the right to vote.”

The dispute came in the final stretch of the Houston runoff campaign, after early voting had already ended and before Election Day voting.