Record early voting reported in Harris Co., Texas

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Texans have cast 9,033,154 early votes as of Thursday. In 2016, overall turnout was 8,969,226.

In Harris County, it's a similar story.

"We did break that 2016 overall number which was 1,338,898," said Irene Nuñez, Communications and Outreach Coordinator with the Harris County Clerk's Office.

As of Thursday, it's 1,344,915. Of those, nearly 167,000 are mail-in ballots.

RELATED: Harris County early voters surpass total turnout from 2016 general election

Besides voter enthusiasm, Nuñez believes what is driving voter turnout is the expansion of early voting options. That includes opening eight poll locations for 24-hours on Thursday.

"Overnight, we had a little over 10,000 votes cast," added Nuñez.

Voters could also opt to vote while in their cars.

"Between 10 to 15 percent of voters have actually gone and chosen to vote via drive-through," she pointed out.

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As of Monday, most voters appear to be between 45 and 64-years-old. Less than seven percent are between 25 and 29-years-old.

"We're also seeing women," Nuñez said. "Women are typically going out and voting more than men."

As of last Friday, approximately 54 percent of early voters in Harris County were women.

Out of the seven early voting sites with more than 20,000 voters as of Thursday, only one is in the City of Houston.

The Weekley Community Center in Cypress has seen nearly 28,000 early voters. The other voting sites are in Humble, Kingwood, and Pasadena.

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Nuñez reminds people mail-in ballots must be received by November 5 at 5 p.m.

"If they have their mail ballot and they feel like it won't here in time by Election Day," she went on. "Feel free to take your ballot a vote center and let them know, you'd like to cancel that ballot and vote in person. There's still time for that."