Eight candidates are vying to fill the seat of late state Sen. Mario Gallegos in a special election in Houston.
Gallegos, a Houston Democrat, died of liver disease on Oct. 16. It was too late to remove his name from the November election ballot and he posthumously won another term.
Democratic state Rep. Carol Alvarado has been endorsed by the Gallegos family in Saturday's race. Also running are former Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia and two other Democrats.
Republican R.W. Bray, who Gallegos defeated in November, is one of two GOP hopefuls. An independent and Green Party candidate round out the field.
If no one wins a majority of the votes cast, the race heads to a runoff. But Gov. Rick Perry will have to set a date for it.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
