LIVE: Election updates, latest news and results

AUSTIN, Texas - It's Election Day! The latest election news and updates from around Central Texas.

For full stories and other election news, you can go to FOX 7 Austin Election.

Click here for real-time updates on the presidential race, control of Congress, and results in key states.

11:13 p.m.

The Republican Party is projected to win the Senate majority

10:55 p.m.

Congressman Colin Allred conceded to Ted Cruz Tuesday night. 

Cruz won the race in Texas for his third term

10:44 p.m.

AP has called the U.S. Senate race in Texas. 

Ted Cruz has won re-election for a third term, defeating Democratic challenger Colin Allred.

10:23 p.m.

Donald Trump wins North Carolina, the first swing state, the Associated Press declares

10 p.m.

The following races have been called by the Associated Press:

• Congressman Michael McCaul reelected to 11th term for District 10
• Congressman John Carter will serve 12th term for Texas District 31
• Congressman Pete Sessions reelected to Texas' 17th congressional district
• Incumbent Michael Cloud wins US House District 27 seat

9:41 p.m.

Who will become the next President of the United States? 

FOX 7 Austin was joined by Dr. Eric McDaniel, a political science professor at UT Austin, to speak on the race for the White House

9:40 p.m.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson spoke at his watch party on Tuesday night

9:40 p.m.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz spoke at his watch party in Houston

9:19 p.m.

Ted Cruz thanked his supporters, and said he hopes Donald Trump wins the election over Kamala Harris.

9:13 p.m.

Ted Cruz took the stage at his watch party in Houston, claiming victory over challenger Colin Allred

9:13 p.m.

Doyle Valdez, treasurer of the Committee for Austin’s Children PAC (Stronger Schools, Stronger Austin), released a statement claiming the passing of Proposition A:

"Austin voted to invest in their public schools, teachers, and students. Money matters in public education, and Austin ISD Prop A is an investment in our community's future. 

With the passage of Prop A, Austin ISD can provide pay increases for teachers and other essential district staff, add new academic supports for students, invest in mental health services, and bring more resources for special education, all while helping to reduce our deficit.

Austin voters flexed their power and did something our state lawmakers have been unable to accomplish in recent legislative sessions: invest in our public school teachers, our essential public school employees, our students, and our community’s future. Austin stepped up with voter approval of Prop A, and now it’s the Texas Legislature’s turn."

9:05 p.m.

Michael McCaul has been reelected to represent Texas' 10th District in Congress, according to an AP projection.

McCaul released a statement after his win:

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the people of TX-10 for entrusting me to continue serving them in Congress. It’s no secret that life has been harder under the Biden-Harris administration with devastating inflation, the worst border crisis in American history, and growing threats to our national security. With so much at stake, it's my duty—and my honor—to be a voice for Texans and to fight for conservative policies that will allow us to hand down a better America to the next generation. With the right leadership and pro-growth policies, I am confident our nation can be restored to new heights of economic prosperity, security, and unity. I look forward to making this a reality and ensuring Texas leads the way."

8:51 p.m.

Gov. Abbott claims Ted Cruz as the winner of the race in Texas against challenger Colin Allred

8:22 p.m.

Gov. Greg Abbott releases a statement on Former President Donald Trump winning the Texas race:

"Congratulations to President Donald Trump on his overwhelming victory in Texas," said Governor Abbott. "Texans know who will slash inflation, secure our southern border, unleash American energy, and crack down on violent crime—and that's Donald Trump. Texans rejected Kamala Harris' radical leftist agenda and voted to restore freedom, prosperity, and opportunity for all Americans."

8:17 p.m.

Donald Trump has won the race in Texas, the Associated Press projects

8:11 p.m.

Gov. Abbott congratulates Former President Donald Trump on winning the race in Texas

7:44 p.m.

AP has called the following races:

• Lloyd Doggett wins re-election for Texas’ 37th Congressional District
• Incumbent Greg Casar wins Texas’ 35th Congressional District

7 p.m. 

Polls have closed in Central Texas.

However, if you are still in line, you will be able to vote.

6:13 p.m.

Democrat Colin Allred is looking to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz. His watch party is in Dallas. 

FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis has the latest

6:09 p.m.

Senator Ted Cruz is up for re-election. His watch party is in Houston. 

FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen has the latest

5:43 p.m.

More Central Texas cities could decriminalize marijuana on Tuesday night. 

Austin, San Marcos and Elgin have already passed similar measures.

Tan Radford has the latest on what could come in Lockhart and Bastrop

5:15 p.m.

Austin residents are deciding whether mayor Kirk Watson deserves another term in office. He has four challengers who are hoping to unseat him

Jenna King has the latest details

4:36 p.m.

Some prominent Texans will be with former president Donald Trump at his watch party in Florida. 

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced he was going to be in West Palm.

Sources with knowledge confirmed to FOX News Digital that SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk will be there as well.

3:40 p.m. 

Besides the Texas U.S. Senate race between Ted Cruz and Colin Allred, the FOX 7 Austin team will be covering local races and props and bonds.

Katie Pratt will be looking at any polling issues.

Tan Radford will be in Lockhart covering the marijuana decriminalization bond. 

Rudy Koski will cover the Travis County District Attorney race.

Lauren Rangel is covering the Round Rock Independent School District $1 billion bond. It's one of several school district elections in Central Texas.

Jenna King will be covering the Austin mayoral race. Several Austin City Council districts are also electing council members.

3:04 p.m.

FOX 7 Austin reporter Meredith Aldis is in Dallas at the Colin Allred campaign watch party. Angela Shen will be in Houston for the Ted Cruz watch party.

2:54 p.m.

Current wait times at voting locations:

Williamson County

Most spots are less than 15 minutes, but the Leander Public Library has a more than 46 minute wait time.

Travis County

It's less than 20 minutes at most voting locations in Travis County, but the following have a more than 51 minute wait time.

• Austin City Hall
• Dan Ruiz Branch Library
• Manor ISD Admin Building
• Gus Garcia Recreation Center
• Pflugerville Public Library
• Our Savior Lutheran Church on Yager Lane
• RRISD Hartfield PAC
• Bee Cave City Hall

Hays County

Most places are less than 10 minutes except for the following which have a more than 20 minute wait time.

• Buda Oaks Assisted Living
• Kyle Public Library
• Kyle City Hall
• Hays County Election Office
• LBJ Student Center, Texas State University
• San Marcos Public Library

2:39 p.m.

Control of the U.S. Senate is expected to hinge on a couple of races. Most eyes are on close races in states like Ohio and Montana, but there are some who are keeping watch on the Texas U.S. Senate race between Democrat Colin Allred and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. 

If Allred wins, he would break a drought for Democrats when it comes to statewide office. It's been 30 years since a Democrat has held a statewide office in Texas. That's the nation's longest current losing streak.

The last Democratic U.S. senator was Robert Krueger, who was defeated by Kay Hutchison in a 1993 special election.

And as far as when was the last time a Democratic presidential candidate won Texas? You'd have to go back even further, to 1976, when Jimmy Carter won.

1:39 p.m.

Williamson County says more than 19,500 people have cast their ballots.

1:36 p.m.

Travis County Clerk's Office says more than 47,000 people have voted in person so far on Election Day as of 10 a.m.

If needed, you can hand-deliver your voted mail ballot at 5501 Airport Boulevard by 7 p.m. 

Voters can only hand-deliver their own ballot and must bring an acceptable form of identification.

1:22 p.m.

FBI releases statement on "bomb threats to polling locations in several states" but does specify which states. 

The full statement is as follows:

The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains. None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far.

Election integrity is among the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to respond to any threats to our elections and to protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote.

As always, we urge the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to state or local law enforcement, or submit tips to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.

12:56 p.m.

Not 100% sure exactly how the branches of government work? As we head to the polls today, the Good Day Austin anchors go over the structure of our government.

12:20 p.m.

Wait times in Williamson County are mostly short, but there are a few that have 46 minute waits or longer. That includes:

• Leander Public Library
• Wilco Hutto Annex
• Round Rock Randalls

In Hays County, spots with longer waits include:

• Hays Co. Election Office
• San Marcos Public Library
• Kyle City Hall
• Sunfield Station (Buda)

For info on wait times in Williamson County click here.

For info on wait times in Hays County click here.

11:35 a.m.

Most places do not have long wait times in Travis County but there are a few places where it's a more than 51 minute wait according to votetravis.gov. Those spots include:

• Austin City Hall
• UT Texas Union
• Dan Ruiz Branch Library
• Bee Cave City Hall
• Pflugerville Public Library
• Manor ISD Admin Building

11:01 a.m.

Now that voting is underway, when we will start seeing results here in Texas? In Texas, polls remain open until 7 p.m. local time and votes from that precinct cannot be counted before the last voter has cast a ballot.

Then, the results of early voting in each of Texas' 254 counties are submitted to the Secretary of State's Office. The early voting results are usually known soon after the polls close.

That means you can expect to see the first results on our page shortly after 7 p.m.

We won't see the first results from the El Paso area, which is in Mountain Time, until just after 8 p.m. CT.

As for the swing states? You can details about when results will in come those places here.

9:55 a.m.

How are waiting times in Travis County? Click here to find out before you head to the polls. 

9:26 a.m.

Remember after you vote to grab those "I Voted" stickers and head out to a local business for discounts. 

Here's a list of some of those offering specials.

8:57 a.m.

Won't have to worry about the weather when you head out to the polls today. Zack Shields says the rain is turning off and the weather is quickly improving just in time for Election Day. 

Behind the front it will feel more like Autumn with highs in the low 70s and low humidity.

Click here for Zack's full forecast or watch below.

8:26 a.m.

A news release from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announces that the U.S. Department of Justice will not enter Texas polling and central count locations after Paxton sued the DOJ. The news release is as follows:

"The U.S. Department of Justice agreed last night not to enter Texas polling and central count locations or otherwise interfere with the administration of Texas elections just hours after Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the DOJ over its announcement that it would send federal agents to "monitor" Texas elections."

"On November 1, just four days before Election Day, DOJ announced that it would deploy federal election "monitors" to eight Texas counties, including Atascosa, Bexar, Dallas, Frio, Harris, Hays, Palo Pinto, and Waller. The Texas Secretary of State immediately notified DOJ that Texas law does not permit federal "monitors" inside a polling place or central counting station. On November 4, Attorney General Paxton sued DOJ and federal officials, noting no federal statute authorizes the Biden-Harris Administration to dispatch federal agents to "monitor" State elections when they are prohibited by State laws."

"Following Attorney General Paxton’s lawsuit and request for a temporary restraining order, DOJ reversed course and agreed to abide by Texas election law. Per the agreement, all DOJ "monitors" will remain outside of polling and central count locations, abide by Texas laws governing conduct within 100 feet of those locations, and refrain from interfering with any voters attempting to cast ballots."

"Further, a federal judge ordered the Biden-Harris Administration to confirm that no "monitors" will be present at Texas polling locations or enter tabulation centers in violation of Texas law. Election administrators and members of the public should immediately report any violations of this agreement to appropriate local election officials and to the Office of the Attorney General at illegalvoting@oag.texas.gov. Texas’s lawsuit against the DOJ will remain pending until the conclusion of the election to ensure DOJ’s compliance."

7:46 a.m.

Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson says in a news release that a little more than 9 million Texans cast ballots during early voting. 

Secretary Nelson also recognized the work of those who will be conducting the elections in Texas counties and encouraged Texas voters to show respect to election officials.

"I want to thank all the election workers who make this process possible, and I encourage voters to live up Texas’ friendly reputation when casting their ballots," said Secretary Nelson.

7:43 a.m.

Reminder from Austin Police Department that there will be increased patrol officers on Election Day to ensure voters feel safe and free from intimidation.

7:28 a.m.

Polls are now open in Texas! Polls will remain open until 7 p.m. (CT), but in El Paso, because they are in Mountain Time, closing at 8 p.m. (CT).

Any registered voter who did not vote early, may vote in person on Nov. 5, 2024. Anyone in the following counties is able to vote at any polling location within the county they reside. 

Bastrop County | Bell County | Bexar County | Blanco County | Burnet County | Comal County | Hays County | Lee County | Milam County | Travis County | Williamson County

To double-check in your specific county, visit the Am I Registered portal on the Secretary of State’s website. It will list the locations where you can vote.

Do I need an ID to vote in Texas?

In order to vote in person during early voting or on election day, Texas voters will be asked to present an acceptable form of photo ID. Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:

• Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
• United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
• United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States Passport (book or card)

Here is a list of the supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter does not possess an acceptable form of photo identification and cannot reasonably obtain one:

• Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
• Copy of or original current utility bill
• Copy of or original bank statement
• Copy of or original government check
• Copy of or original paycheck
• Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)

For more information on acceptable forms of ID and what you can do if you do not have one, click here.

What races are on the ballot?

Visit your county's election page for sample ballots and additional resources. 

The FOX 7 Austin Elections page also has breakdowns of some of the hot ticket items Texans are voting on during this election.

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