BEAUMONT, Texas — Election day is here, and there are plenty of hot-button area-level and state-level races that Southeast Texans and beyond are keeping their eyes on.
Southeast Texas voters made their choices Tuesday in federal and state level races including U.S. Rep for districts 14 and 36 and multiple statewide races including Texas Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General. Polls closed at 7 p.m.
12News will have election results on 12NewsNow.com/elections.
More than 47,000 Jefferson County residents voted during early voting which ran from began Monday, October 24, 2022, and ended Friday, November 4, 2022. Elections officials expected at least 50,000.
Jefferson County races
Five hot races for Jefferson County races are the races for Texas State Rep District 22, 317th District Judge, County Judge, County Clerk and Precinct Two Justice of the Peace.
Republican Incumbent Judge Jeff Branick beat Democrat Carolyn Guidry in a race for the Jefferson County judge seat.
During his campaign, Judge Branick explained that he was the better option for the seat because he has held it for more than a decade and has had an amazing string of successes over the last 12 years as county judge.
Democrat Christian Manuel Hayes beat Republican Jacorion Randle in a race for the Texas House District 22 seat.
Hayes said he was the best option for the seat because, for the last decade, he has been working as the chief of staff for Joe Deshotel. Hayes said he wants to focus on bringing jobs to the area.
Jobs, along with flood mitigation and education, were at the top of Hayes' campaign.
Republican Gordon Friesz beat Democrat Chelsie Ramos in a race for the 317th District judge seat. While campaigning, both agreed that whoever holds the seat, holds one of the most important seats in the county.
During his campaign, Friesz said he was the best person for this position because he was born and raised in Jefferson County, and his roots will only help him make the best decisions for the county residents.
Friesz said the 317th district court is the most utilized court in Jefferson County by numbers and believes that he is the right person to take on such a large responsibility.
Republican Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg beat Democratic candidate Jes Prince in a race for the Jefferson County clerk seat. Acosta-Hellberg entered the race with a background in healthcare administration, having had previous jobs managing hospitals.
Democrat Joseph Guillory II beat Independent Kyrin Baker and write-in candidate Brandon Bartie in the race for Justice of the Peace Precinct 2.
Guillory said he will focus on fair representation and saving taxpayers' money. What's important to him is being accessible to his constituents.
Liberty County Race
In Liberty County there is one contested county race. Ronnie Davis-D is defending his current office against Jimmy Belt-R in the race for Liberty County Precinct Two Justice of the Peace.
Hardin County Races
In Hardin County there are no contested county races on the ballot but there will be two school board races and an ESD tax proposition.
Chambers County races
There are two contested races in the East Chambers ISD school board race.
Jasper County races
In Jasper County there is one contested county race along with school board races in the Buna and Evadale districts and a proposition to sell alcohol in Justice of the Peace Precinct Three on the ballot.
Kevin Holloway-R beat DeMarcus Holmes -D in the Jasper County Precinct Two County Commissioner race.
Tyler County race
In Tyler County there is one contested county race on the ballot along with a preposition to enact a stock law in Precinct One. There's also contested school board races in the Chester, Colmesneil, Spurger, Warren and Woodville districts as well as mayor and council races in Woodville and Ivanhoe.
Newton County races
In Newton County there is one contested county race and a school bond race on the ballot. Phillip A. White will face a last-minute write-in candidate, Brian Lewis, who is running as an independent. Voters in Newton County are also deciding on a $26.5 million school bond.
In Orange County there are no contested local races on the ballot.
State Races
Republican Incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott beat his Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke in the race for Texas governor.
Both travelled to multiple locations across the state to campaign for the seat. Political analysts predicted this race would be a fight to the finish.
Republican Dan Patrick beat Mike Collier and Shanna Steele in a race for the lieutenant governor seat. The lieutenant governor is the second-highest executive in the state, presides over the Texas Senate.
Republican Sid Miller is facing off against Democratic challenger Susan Hayes for the agriculture commissioner seat. The agriculture department supports farmers, regulates fuel pumps and administers school lunch programs.
Republican Incumbent Ken Paxton beat Democratic challenge Rochelle Garza for the attorney general seat. The attorney general is the top lawyer in Texas, representing the state in mostly civil litigation.
Republican Dawn Buckingham is facing off against Democrat Jay Kleberg and Green Party candidate Alfred Molison, Jr for the land commissioner seat. The land commissioner oversees an agency that manages 13 million acres of state land, administers disaster recovery funds, contributes to public school funding and has administrative control of the Alamo.
Republican Glenn Hegar beat Democrat Janet T. Dudding and Libertarian V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza in the race for the comptroller seat. The comptroller is the state official responsible for collecting taxes, overseeing the state treasury and forecasting the amount of money that’s available to legislators when they craft the state’s two-year budget.
Republican Wayne Christian is facing off against Democrat Luke Warford, Libertarian Jaime Andres Diez and Green Party candidate Hunter Wayne Crow for the Railroad Commissioner seat. In Texas, the Railroad Commission regulates the oil and gas industry.
Some residents who voted Tuesday, experienced small issues with the new voting machines at the Beaumont Independent School District. Those problems have since been resolved.
The county bought the new machines with state money and have had poll workers training and demonstrating with voters since the beginning of October. Election officials hopes the new machines would makes the process faster.
Those who need assistance with voting machines can ask any poll worker at their location. It is important to remember not to leave with the ballot.
12News crews were at polling locations across Southeast Texas.
Voters in Nederland said they are waiting about 10-15 minutes to cast a ballot at the Marion Hughes Library. At Rogers Park in Beaumont, voters reported about a 30-minute wait.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.