Sylvia and Napoleon, from Jersey Village, leave the NRG in-person voting location.
2
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
3
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
4
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
5
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
6
A car makes its way through the ballot drop-off voting location at the NRG stadium.
7
A car makes its way through the ballot drop-off voting location at the NRG stadium.
8
Workers help direct cars to their voting destination at the NRG Stadium.
9
Workers help direct cars to their voting destination at the NRG Stadium.
10
Willie handing out pamphlets at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
11
Willie handing out pamphlets at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
12
People walk past the Rice Owl on their way to vote at Rice University.
13
People walk past the Rice Owl on their way to vote at Rice University.
14
A woman checks her watch while waiting in line to vote at Rice University.
15
A woman checks her watch while waiting in line to vote at Rice University.
16
Marie, from southeast Houston, about to get out of her car to vote at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
17
Marie, from southeast Houston, about to get out of her car to vote at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
18
Bennie, from Kashmere Gardens, poses for a photo at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
19
Bennie, from Kashmere Gardens, poses for a photo at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
20
Marcia, from Montrose, poses for a photo at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
21
Marcia, from Montrose, poses for a photo at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
22
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo walks among voters waiting in line at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
23
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo walks among voters waiting in line at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
24
Curbside voting at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
25
Curbside voting at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
26
Sherry, from Third Ward, poses for a photo at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
27
Sherry, from Third Ward, poses for a photo at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
28
People check in to vote at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
29
People check in to vote at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
30
Lots of empty voting booths at the West Gray Multiservice Center, but people outside waited for more than an hour.
31
Lots of empty voting booths at the West Gray Multiservice Center, but people outside waited for more than an hour.
32
Christopher, of Montrose, after voting at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
33
Christopher, of Montrose, after voting at the West Gray Multiservice Center.
34
Jessica, of Galena Park, in line to vote at the Ripley House
35
Jessica, of Galena Park, in line to vote at the Ripley House
36
Jorge and Alice, from the Second Ward, in line to vote at the Ripley Houston.
37
Jorge and Alice, from the Second Ward, in line to vote at the Ripley Houston.
38
Mohamed displays his signs of support at the entrance to the NRG Stadium.
39
Mohamed displays his signs of support at the entrance to the NRG Stadium.
40
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
41
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
42
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
43
Cars in line at NRG Stadium’s drive-thru voting.
44
Voting at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
45
Voting at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
46
Voting at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
47
Voting at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
48
Sylvia and Napoleon, from Jersey Village, leave the NRG in-person voting location.
On Tuesday Houstonians did ourselves proud as more than 100,000 people turned out to vote,shattering previous Harris County early voting records. Houstonia sent photographer Daniel Kramer out to document this historic day, the first day of voting in the midst of a pandemic that has already all but guaranteed we will continue to see people lining up to vote ahead of November 3 due to Covid-19 concerns. Not that the lines were that bad for most of Harris County on Tuesday.
As Kramer moved through the city, photographing democracy in action at Wheeler Baptist Church downtown, NRG Stadium on the Southwest side, West Gray Multiservice Center in River Oaks, and Ripley House in the East End, many places were getting voters through so smoothly that lines were almost nonexistent, though at other polling locations the wait time could stretch on for more than an hour. Either way, the end result is that H-Town is off to an excellent start in showing up to exercise our civic duty, as captured in these beautiful images.
If you’re wanting to vote yourself ahead of Election Day, there are 122 polling locations to choose from spread out across the county with hours going from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. on the weekends through October 30. Check wait times for the polling locations—remember, we’re now allowed to vote at any of them, too—right here. And send us your “I voted” sticker selfies. This is democracy in action. In a year where hope and joy have been in short supply, there’s even more reason to celebrate that, so we’re doing it.
