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Harris County District Attorney election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)
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| 2024 Harris County elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: December 11, 2023 |
| Primary election: March 5, 2024 General election: November 5, 2024 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: District attorney |
| Election type: Partisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2024 |
Sean Teare (D) defeated incumbent Kim Ogg (D) in the Democratic primary for Harris County District Attorney on March 5, 2024.
Ogg was first elected in 2016 on a platform of prosecuting violent offenders, offering diversion programs as an alternative to jail time, and making less use of cash bail.[1] Ogg was running on her record: "In my seven years as District Attorney, significant reforms have reshaped Harris County's justice system. Despite challenges like Harvey and the pandemic, our office supported 86 law enforcement agencies, ensuring uninterrupted operations."[2]
Teare ran because he believed Ogg hadn't fulfilled her campaign promises. Teare said prosecutors' morale was low because Ogg had focused on building her political influence over implementing her policy platform: "The promises that we were all led to believe in 2016 were not being followed through."[3] Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D) and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner both endorsed Teare.[4][5]
The Harris County Democratic Party voted to admonish Ogg on December 13, 2023.[6] The resolution accused Ogg of supporting Republican firearms and sentencing laws, intimidating elected officials with whom she disagreed, and not reducing the use of cash bail as she had promised.[7] Ogg said the county party had admonished her because she was investigating three of County Judge Lina Hidalgo's (D) former staffers.[8]
Teare advanced to the general election against Dan Simons (R). According to Rice University professor Bob Stein, county Republicans saw an opportunity to win back the district attorney's office: "The cleavage, the fissure, the infighting in the Democratic Party to oust Kim Ogg, I think, has attracted some candidates to run countywide."[9] Ogg won the 2016 and 2020 elections 54%-46%. Ogg was the first Democrat to win election as Harris County District Attorney since 1980.[10]
Kim Ogg (D) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
Harris County also held elections for county attorney, sheriff, tax assessor-collector, county commission, community college district, constables, county department of education, county criminal court at law judges, district court judges, and justices of the peace. Click here for an overview of those elections.
Candidates and election results
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Harris County District Attorney
Sean Teare defeated incumbent Kim Ogg in the Democratic primary for Harris County District Attorney on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sean Teare | 75.0 | 126,449 |
 | Kim Ogg  | 25.0 | 42,149 | |
| Total votes: 168,598 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Texas
What was the voter registration deadline?
- In-person: February 5, 2024.
- By mail: Postmarked by February 5, 2024.[11]
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?
- In-person: February 23, 2024.
- By mail: Received by February 23, 2024.[11]
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?
- By mail: Postmarked by March 5, 2024. Received by March 6, 2024, for voters in the United States and by March 11, 2024, for voters located overseas.[12][11]
Was early voting available to all voters? Yes.[11]
What were the early voting start and end dates? Early voting started on February 20, 2024, and ended on March 1, 2024.[11]
Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required? All voters except those with a religious objection to being photographed and those with a disability who requested an exemption from identification requirements needed to present identification. Voters were required to either provide a photo ID or sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present a non-photo ID. Voters with access to a photo ID could not sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration.[11]
When were polls open on Election Day? Polls opened at 7:00 AM Central Time on Election Day and closed at 7:00 PM.[11]
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "In my seven years as District Attorney, significant reforms have reshaped Harris County's justice system. Despite challenges like Harvey and the pandemic, our office supported 86 law enforcement agencies, ensuring uninterrupted operations. We've diversified leadership and staff, notably increasing African American and Latino representation. Our Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program has spared thousands from jail, redirecting offenders to education classes instead. Harris County uniquely refrains from citing individuals for minor marijuana possession. Our mental health initiative has diverted over 10,000 non-violent mentally ill offenders from jail to treatment centers, earning statewide recognition. Efforts to end the school-to-prison pipeline include diverting over 15,000 juveniles from jail to counseling, with 65% of offenders under 17 receiving treatment and education."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Harris County District Attorney in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Teare obtained his bachelor's in American history and his law degree from the University of Houston. After passing the state bar exam in 2007, Teare joined the Harris County District Attorney's office. In 2010, Teare left the office to practice law privately with a personal injury firm. Teare rejoined the district attorney's office in 2017 following Ogg's election and worked there as supervisor of the Vehicular Crimes Division until resigning in February 2023.
Show sources
Sources: Sean Teare campaign website, "Home page," accessed January 16, 2024, Houston Public Media, "Sean Teare, longtime assistant to Harris County DA Kim Ogg, challenging former boss in Democratic primary," June 5, 2023, ABC13, "Former Harris County assistant DA Sean Teare lays out promises in election fight with ex-boss," May 30, 2023 ; Sean Teare campaign website, "Home page," accessed January 16, 2024, Houston Public Media, "Sean Teare, longtime assistant to Harris County DA Kim Ogg, challenging former boss in Democratic primary," June 5, 2023
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Harris County District Attorney in 2024.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Kim Ogg (D)
Continue seeking adequate funding for the DA’s office so we can aid our prosecutors in lowering their caseload. This would allow cases to move along faster both for the victims of these crimes and for those who are not guilty, to have their day in court as well.
Seek funding for crime labs, which will allow for speedier resolution of the trials of violent offenders, removing them from access to additional crime victims. The fewer victims, the more people can and will stay in the workforce. I also intend to seek legislation to make Non-Disclosures (a type of expunction) easier to obtain.
Kim Ogg (D)
-Women's rights -Fiscal responsibility -Transparency -Serving the public -Integrity in public service -Public safety -Accountability -Establishing a justice system that is equitable and fair
Kim Ogg (D)
Kim Ogg (D)
Kim Ogg (D)
Each district attorney shall represent the State in all criminal cases in the district courts of his district and in appeals therefrom, except in cases where he has been, before his election, employed adversely. When any criminal proceeding is had before an examining court in (his) district or before a judge upon habeas corpus, and (he) is notified of the same, and is at the time within his district, (he) shall represent the State therein, unless prevented by other official duties. It shall be the primary duty of all prosecuting attorneys, including any special prosecutors, not to convict, but to see that justice is done.
Texas Government Code, Sec. 43.180. HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. (a) The voters of Harris County elect a district attorney. (b) The district attorney shall attend each term and session of the district courts of Harris County. The district attorney shall represent the state in criminal cases pending in the district and inferior courts of the county. The district attorney has control of any case heard on habeas corpus before any civil district court or criminal court of the county.
(c) The district attorney has all the powers, duties, and privileges in Harris County relating to criminal matters for and in behalf of the state that are conferred on district attorneys in the various counties and districts.
Kim Ogg (D)
Kim Ogg (D)
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Kim Ogg
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Kim Ogg while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Sean Teare
| May 30, 2023 |
View more ads here:
Endorsements
Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance
Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Harris County Clerk's Office. Click here to access those reports.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[13][14][15]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Noteworthy events
Harris County Democratic Party admonishment of Kim Ogg (2023)
On December 12, 2023, the executive committee of the Harris County Democratic Party voted 129-61 to admonish Kim Ogg (D).[16][17] The resolution accused Ogg of not following through on her campaign promise to reduce the use of cash bail, allowing a Republican-led state investigation into the 2022 Harris County elections, opposing restrictions on firearms, and abusing her power to intimidate elected officials with whom she disagreed.[18]
Precinct chairman Daniel Cohen (D), who introduced the resolution of admonishment, said Ogg was "a bully, and when people collectively stand up to a bully very publicly, then the façade of power begins to fade...And a lot of people who have been concerned about her and were worried about what would happen if they spoke up are speaking up left and right all over the county."[19]
Ogg said the resolution was brought because she was carrying out a criminal investigation into three senior staffers working for County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D). Ogg said that "this type of political pressure on a prosecutor is common these days...We see it at the federal level. We see it at the state level and we see it at the local level and prosecutors have a job to do. We are the hard stop on public corruption. There is no one else to take these cases and sometimes that puts us at odds with people in the same party."[20]
Election context
Ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for district attorney candidates in Harris County in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Texas, click here.
| Filing requirements for Harris County District Attorney candidates, 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source | |||
| N/A | $1,250.00[21] | 12/11/2023 | 1 2 | |||
Harris County district attorney election history
2020
General election
General election for Harris County District Attorney
Incumbent Kim Ogg defeated Mary Nan Huffman in the general election for Harris County District Attorney on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kim Ogg (D) | 53.9 | 841,914 |
 | Mary Nan Huffman (R) | 46.1 | 720,407 | |
| Total votes: 1,562,321 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Harris County District Attorney
Incumbent Kim Ogg defeated Audia Jones, Todd Overstreet, and Carvana Cloud in the Democratic primary for Harris County District Attorney on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kim Ogg | 54.5 | 148,571 |
| Audia Jones | 24.2 | 65,950 | ||
| Todd Overstreet | 11.3 | 30,744 | ||
 | Carvana Cloud | 10.0 | 27,132 | |
| Total votes: 272,397 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Harris County District Attorney
Mary Nan Huffman defeated Lloyd Oliver and Lori DeAngelo in the Republican primary for Harris County District Attorney on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mary Nan Huffman | 63.6 | 105,574 |
| Lloyd Oliver | 21.6 | 35,828 | ||
| Lori DeAngelo | 14.9 | 24,714 | ||
| Total votes: 166,116 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Harris County held elections for county commission, justices of the peace, constables, district attorney, county attorney, sheriff, county tax assessor-collector, and the Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees in 2016. The general election was held on November 8, 2016. A primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and a primary runoff took place on May 24, 2016. The filing deadline for those wishing to run in this election was December 14, 2015.[22] Kim Ogg (D) defeated incumbent Devon Anderson (R) in the Harris County district attorney general election.
| Harris County District Attorney, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Kim Ogg |
54.22% | 696,955 | |
| Republican | Devon Anderson Incumbent | 45.78% | 588,464 | |
| Total Votes | 1,285,419 | |||
| Source: Harris County Elections, "2016 General Election Official Results," November 16, 2016 | ||||
| Harris County District Attorney, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Kim Ogg |
50.89% | 85,912 |
| Morris Overstreet | 28.51% | 48,139 |
| Lloyd Oliver | 20.60% | 34,773 |
| Total Votes | 168,824 | |
| Source: Harris County Elections, "2016 Democratic Primary Results," March 8, 2016 | ||
2014
Incumbent Devon Anderson (R) defeated Kim Ogg (D) in the general election for the unexpired term for Harris County District Attorney on November 4, 2014.
| Harris County District Attorney, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Devon Anderson Incumbent |
53.2% | 354,539 | |
| Democratic | Kim Ogg | 46.8% | 311,648 | |
| Total Votes | 666,187 | |||
| Election results via Harris County Clerk's Office, "Cumulative Report - Official, Harris County, Texas - General and Special Elections - November 04, 2014," November 14, 2014 | ||||
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- Kansas State Senate elections, 2024
- Montana Public Service Commission election, 2024
- United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2024
See also
| Harris County, Texas | Texas | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Houston Public Media, "Democrat Kim Ogg Elected Harris County District Attorney," November 9, 2016
- ↑ Information submitted via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on February 27, 2024.
- ↑ Houston Public Media, "Sean Teare, longtime assistant to Harris County DA Kim Ogg, challenging former boss in Democratic primary," May 31, 2023
- ↑ KHOU, "Judge Lina Hidalgo formally endorses Sean Teare in Harris County DA race," November 13, 2023
- ↑ Twitter, "Patrick Svitek on January 30, 2024," accessed February 1, 2024
- ↑ The Texan, "Harris County Democratic Precinct Chairs Admonish District Attorney Kim Ogg," December 13, 2023
- ↑ Change.org, "Petition the Harris County Democratic Party to Admonish Kim Ogg," October 30, 2023
- ↑ Fox 26 Houston, "Harris County DA Kim Ogg pushes back after 'admonishment' by Democratic Party," December 13, 2023
- ↑ Houston Public Media, "Harris County Democrats’ admonishment of District Attorney Kim Ogg threatens party’s dominance in November 2024 elections, expert says," December 13, 2023
- ↑ ABC 13, "Ogg's historic win gives her mandate to protect victims," November 9, 2016
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 VoteTexas.Gov, "FAQ," accessed January 16, 2024
- ↑ Absentee ballots submitted by members of the armed forces who submitted a Federal Postcard Application rather than an Application for Ballot by Mail may be received until March 11, 2024, even if they were submitted from within the United States.
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ ABC 13, "DA Kim Ogg reprimanded by Harris County Democratic Party in late-night meeting," December 13, 2023
- ↑ Fox 26 Houston, "Executive Committee of Harris County Democratic Party votes to 'admonish' District Attorney Kim Ogg," December 12, 2023
- ↑ Change.org, "Petition the Harris County Democratic Party to Admonish Kim Ogg," October 30, 2023
- ↑ Houston Public Media, "After admonition vote, District Attorney Kim Ogg faces a challenging path in her bid for a third term," December 20, 2023
- ↑ Fox 26 Houston, "Harris County DA Kim Ogg pushes back after 'admonishment' by Democratic Party," December 13, 2023
- ↑ 500 signatures can be provided in lieu of the filing fee
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed September 1, 2016
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