Mehmet Eser/ZUMA Press Wire

Houstonians in Texas' 18th Congressional District will begin heading to the polls Monday to elect a new representative, more than seven months after the seat's previous occupant, Sylvester Turner, died in office.

Sixteen candidates are vying to serve the remainder of Turner's term representing the heavily Democratic district, all but ensuring the Nov. 4 special election will be decided in a runoff early next year between the top two finishers. By March, three-quarters of those voters will be participating in an entirely different primary, having been moved out of the 18th District by Texas Republicans' mid-decade redistricting effort.

It's been a confusing time for voters in the historic district, which has sent towering Black politicians to Washington such a

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