Why Baytown Votes Every November

Baytown has a city election this year. Early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19 and runs through Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, with polls open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Voters in Council Districts 4, 5 and 6 pick their council members. The deadline to register was Oct. 5, so it has passed.

The city's election page states the rule: "The City of Baytown holds its elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every year." That is why a Baytown voter may be asked to vote in a city election in many Novembers, not just in some. Baytown elections are staggered by design, so council seats keep coming back to the ballot.

The short version

• The City of Baytown holds its elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, every year.
• On Nov. 3, 2026, voters decide Council Districts 4, 5 and 6.
• The last day to register to vote was Oct. 5, 2026. It has passed.
• Early voting by personal appearance runs Oct. 19 through Oct. 30, 2026.
• Filing for a place on the 2026 ballot ran from July 20 through Aug. 17, 2026.
• The new members will serve three years, from November 2026 to November 2029.

Why every year

The charter staggers terms in three groups. Districts 1 through 3 are one group, districts 4 through 6 are another, and the mayor is on a separate cycle. With three-year terms and an election every November, one group faces voters each year.

In November 2025, for example, the city ran a bond election. Voters decided six propositions and approved two of them.

The rule picks the first Tuesday after the first Monday. In 2026, Nov. 1 falls on a Sunday, so the first Monday is Nov. 2 and the Tuesday after it is Nov. 3. The date moves from year to year, but the rule stays fixed.

The 2026 seats

Three of the seven council seats are on the ballot: Districts 4, 5 and 6. The city's page says the General Election is for "the positions of Council Members for Districts 4, 5, and 6." The mayor and the other three council members are not part of this election. That makes three of seven seats, a bit under half the council. Filing closed on Aug. 17, 2026. The city's election page is the place to find the candidate list.

Each person elected in Districts 4, 5 and 6 serves a three-year term. The charter also limits council members to four consecutive full terms.

The calendar

The city clerk's election calendar lists these dates for 2026: - Filing for a place on the ballot: July 20 through Aug. 17, 2026, a window of 29 days. The state-law window began July 18, but that was a Saturday, so the first day to file was Monday, July 20. Done. - Last day to register to vote: Oct. 5, 2026. Closed. - Early voting by personal appearance: Oct. 19 through Oct. 30, 2026, a window of 12 calendar days. - Election Day: Nov. 3, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The calendar adds two cautions. The early voting schedule may vary by county, and locations are subject to change. Baytown lies in both Harris and Chambers counties, so check your own county's list. The calendar footer also says it is subject to change.

Harris County's election site lists early voting for Nov. 3 as Oct. 19 through Oct. 30, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Sunday, Oct. 25, when it is noon to 7 p.m. Harris County also lists Oct. 23 as the deadline to apply for a ballot by mail. That deadline is for an application that is received, not mailed, by that day. Voting by mail is limited under Texas law, so check the county's rules before you count on it.

What was on the ballot in 2025

The November 2025 election was a bond election. The city asked voters six questions. Voters approved Proposition B, Mobility, at $30,450,000 for streets, sidewalks and traffic, and Proposition D, Facilities, at $4,250,000 for Fire Station 4 design and acquisition. They did not approve Proposition A, Thoroughfares, at $69,864,400, Proposition C, Drainage, at $14,025,500, Proposition E, the wetlands center, at $13,000,000, or Proposition F, Parks, at $19,757,000.

Council members decide how the city spends what voters approve. On Sept. 10, 2026, the council passed the FY2027 budget and the tax rate. FY2027 began Oct. 1. The rate is $0.69803 per $100, unchanged from FY2026. All 7 members voted yes on the budget ordinance.

What this means for you

If you are registered, you are set. Find your district, since Districts 4, 5 and 6 are the ones on this ballot. Look up your county's early voting sites, since the city's calendar does not list polling places. Harris County posts a vote center map, and Chambers County runs its own list. If you are not sure you are registered, check at the state's "Am I Registered?" page at goelect.txelections.civixapps.com. If you missed the Oct. 5 deadline, you cannot vote in this election, but you can register now for the next one. Bring an accepted photo ID. The state lists the options on the Vote Texas site.

Sources

• City of Baytown: Election Information, November 3, 2026 (https://www.baytown.org/1458/Election-Information---November-3-2026)
• City of Baytown: Calendar of Events, Election 2026 (https://www.baytown.org/DocumentCenter/View/20512/Calendar-of-Events---Election-2026)
• City of Baytown: City of Baytown Charter, 2021, for 2025 (https://baytown.org/DocumentCenter/View/12921/13-City-of-Baytown-Charter-2021-for-2025)
• City of Baytown: 2025 Bond Projects (https://www.baytown.org/1447/2025-Bond-Projects)
• City of Baytown: FY2027 Adopted Budget (https://baytown.org/Archive.aspx?ADID=1317)
• Harris County Elections: November 3, 2026 election (https://www.harrisvotes.com/)
• Harris County Elections: Vote Centers (https://harrisvotes.com/Vote-Centers)
• Texas Secretary of State: Vote Texas (https://www.votetexas.gov/)
• Texas Secretary of State: Am I Registered? (https://goelect.txelections.civixapps.com/ivis-mvp-ui/#/login)
• Texas State Historical Association: Baytown (https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/baytown-tx)