In Harris County, canvassers and leaders have knocked on close to 9,000 doors and spoken with over 2,000 households about the benefits and risks of Covid-18 vaccines in two areas with high percentages of low-income Latino and African American families and very low rates of vaccination.

In Jefferson County, leaders organized 12 different vaccination events at Beaumont ISD schools, Baptist and Catholic churches, Port Arthur libraries and a museum. Over 450 children and another 200 adults have been vaccinated in four zip codes with the lowest vaccination rates in the state.

In Brazoria County, TMO partnered with Hispanic congregations in Manvel, Alvin and Clute to work with local clinics and pharmacies to provide over 100 vaccinations to adults and children. Both Alvin and Brazos Port ISDs agreed to educate parents about the need for vaccination through their school district newsletter and flyers distributed to parents through schools.

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Regardless of the outcome, it’s clear the election has brought out many new voters. According to the Metropolitan Organization, a coalition of faith-based nonprofits in the Houston area, “low propensity voters” — which the group defines as voters who are newly registered, infrequent, young, or from communities of color — are casting ballots at rates on par with or exceeding those seen in the 2016 election in nearly all of the precincts that the group is monitoring.

Metropolitan Organization leaders credit that in part to a recent ramping up of ongoing get-out-the-vote efforts, including having church leaders focus more on civic engagement within their congregations ahead of the election.

[Photo Credit: Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle]

Campaigns Try To Reach Election Day Voters After Record Early Voting, Houston Chronicle [pdf]