It's crunch time for Harris County voters as they hit the polls to determine who will take over the Texas Senate seat previously held by Houston's new mayor and to elect representatives for the appraisal district's board. The stakes are high but the voter turnout is low, with just 1.28% of Harris County's registered voters participating in early voting, reported KHOU.

Houston residents are rallying for a vote today to fill the shoes of Houston Mayor John Whitmire in the State Senate. Democratic candidates Jarvis Johnson and Molly Cook are slugging it out to serve the remainder of the vacated Senate term. Yet they'll face another battle soon, as they're primed for the upcoming May 28 primary runoff, as told by the Houston Chronicle.

On the boardroom side, the Harris County Appraisal District is jazzing things up with voters selecting the board of director's newcomers for the first time. The creation of these posts follows the Legislature's nod and a voter-approved proposition from last November.

Fourteen hopefuls have tossed their hats in the ring for the three available seats on the HCAD board. If no candidate nabs more than a 50% slice of the ballot pie, contenders will have to gear up for an a June 15 runoff, according to details shared by the KHOU.

Amid this political hustle, Houstonians are also casting votes on leaders for utility districts, school boards, and various municipal roles. It's a full card and for those who lagged on early balloting, today's their chance to make their mark from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. As the turnout story unfolds, keep an eye on the county clerk's website for a sneak-peek at the sample ballot and more info.