NOTE TO EDITORS: This is an early bulldog edition of Capital Highlights for papers with early holiday deadlines. It will be updated on Sunday as events warrant.

Legislators begin filing bills ahead of session

Texas legislators are off to the races, filing more than 850 bills on Monday, the first day of filing season for the 88th session, which begins Jan. 10. 

Turnout drops in recent election

 Voter turnout in the midterm elections again dropped statewide, with just over 45% of registered voters either casting ballots early or at the polls on Nov. 8. Republican candidates continued to hold a hammerlock on statewide positions, with incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott handily winning a third term over challenger Beto O’ Rourke.

Panic buttons, locked doors for Texas schools

Texas public schools would have to install panic buttons in classrooms and ensure all doors and windows are locked and monitored under new proposed safety standards released last week by the Texas Education Agency.

Early voting ends Friday; election is Tuesday, Nov. 8
 
Early voting for the general election ends on Friday, Nov. 4, with the closely watched governor’s race pitting incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott against challenger Beto O’ Rourke headlining the ballot. A number of other statewide races are on the ballot, including lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner and comptroller. 

Early voting underway across state
Early voting in this year’s midterm elections began Monday and continues through Friday, Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8. Voters will pick the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner and comptroller in statewide races. 

Early voting begins Oct. 24
Early voting in the Nov. 8 general election begins Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 4. Applications for voting by mail must be received by Oct. 28, according to the secretary of state’s office. 

Texans urged to get flu shot
Flu season is underway, and health officials are urging Texans to get their vaccinations as soon as possible, since it takes about two weeks for the shot to take effect.

State sends resources to Florida
 
Texas has deployed state resources to Florida to assist in response and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the devastation caused last week by Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States in the past decade.

Speaker opposes drive to end tenure

Hispanic Texans likely largest demographic group
 
The U.S. Census Bureau released its latest estimate, which indicates Hispanic residents in Texas make up more of the state’s population than white residents. The new population figures from the American Community Survey indicate Hispanic Texans comprise 40.2% of the state’s population last year, while non-Hispanic white Texans made up 39.4%, as reported in the Texas Tribune.