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LIVE BLOG: O'Rourke addresses supporters after losing Senate race to Cruz

If you plan on heading to the polls today to make your voice heard, remember you must abide by certain rules. Also, follow along with us as we bring you the latest updates on Election Day.

There were some surprises, upsets and as-predicted results in the 2018 General Election.

Below are updates from Tuesday's historic Nov. 6, 2018 election:

LIVE UPDATES

Follow along with us as we bring you the latest updates on Election Day:

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7

12:10 a.m. - Harris County Judge-elect Lina Hidalgo thanks voters after defeating incumbent Judge ed Emmett.

A roaring ovation for newly-elected Harris Co. judge Lina Hidalgo.

Joined by newly-elected and history-making Texas Latina congresswoman Sylvia Garcia.#KHOU11 #htownrush pic.twitter.com/wX89U1Inxg

— Levi Ismail (@LeviIsmailKHOU) November 7, 2018

Harris Co. Judge-elect @Lina4HC thanks voters and @BetoORourke for energizing the Democratic Party.

A bittersweet night for some voters, but I later heard chants of #Beto2020.#khou11 #htownrush pic.twitter.com/q2STsjqmWt

— Levi Ismail (@LeviIsmailKHOU) November 7, 2018

TUESDAY, NOV. 6

11:04 p.m. - Rep. Beto O'Rourke addresses supporters in El Paso after losing the U.S. Senate race to incumbent Ted Cruz.

11 p.m. - Harris County Judge Ed Emmett speaks to his supporters after returns indicate challenger Lina Hidalgo has defeated the incumbent.

10:43 p.m. - According to the Associated Press, Republican Rep. Pete Olson has defeated challenger Sri Preston Kulkarni to win re-election in Fort Bend County.

10:37 p.m. - John Culberson addresses his supporters after losing his re-election bid to Lizzie Pannill Fletcher.

10:25 p.m. - Lizzie Pannill Fletcher upsets incumbent John Culberson in the Congressional race for Dist. 7.

WATCH: Lizzie Fletcher speaks to supporters after winning Dist. 7 race

10:20 p.m. - Crowds at Lizzie Pannill Fletcher's watch party cheer as returns indicate a lead over challenger John Culberson.

10:06 p.m. - Dan Crenshaw, who won the race for Dist. 2, addresses supporters, promising to represent "all of Texas" in his new role.

10 p.m. - Sen. Ted Cruz addresses supporters in Houston after winning re-election against Rep. Beto O'Rourke.

WATCH: Sen. Ted Cruz addresses supporters after winning re-election

9:57 p.m. - Todd Litton has called Dan Crenshaw to concede in the race for the Dist. 2 seat in Congress.

9:54 p.m. - Harris County election officials are reporting ballots in 465 out of 1,012 precincts in the county (about 46 percent) have been tabulated.

9:51 p.m. - Ted Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz, takes the stage at his son's watch party to fire up the crowd before he takes the stage after his projected victory.

9:30 p.m. - Democrats were moving closer to gaining control of the House of Representatives late Tuesday night while Republicans held onto control of the Senate. Tap here to read more.

9:29 p.m. - At White Oak Music Hall, firefighters are celebrating the apparent passage of Proposition B.

Related: Mayor Turner: If Prop B is approved, some firefighters will lose jobs

9:25 p.m. - Supporters at the watch parties for John Culberson and Dan Crenshaw cheer after hearing results indicating Ted Cruz has defeated Beto O'Rourke for U.S. Senate.

9:20 p.m. - CBS News projects Sen. Ted Cruz wins his re-election bid for U.S. Senate against Rep. Beto O'Rourke.

9:15 p.m. - Gov. Greg Abbott addresses supporters after winning his re-election bid for governor.

WATCH: Greg Abbott re-elected governor of Texas

9:08 p.m. - About 100 supporters have arrived at John Culberson's watch party.

9:04 p.m. - Early voting numbers indicate Houston's Proposition B may pass. Mayor Sylvester Turner expressed his disappointment of the possible passage, claiming it would give firefighters raises but would cost the city $100 million a year.

8:44 p.m. - Supporters of Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, who is running against John Culberson for the Dist. 7 seat, have arrived at her watch party at Armadillo Palace.

8:33 p.m. - Sylvia Garcia is claiming victory for the Dist. 29 Congressional seat. She is among the state's first Hispanic women elected to Congress. Veronica Escobar, a former county judge in El Paso, won a seat to replace Beto O'Rourke.

Related: Texas sending its first Latinas to Congress: Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia

8:29 p.m. - Supporters are filing into a ballroom at Hotel Sorella for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's watch party. He is not expected to arrive at his watch party until 10 p.m.

8:26 p.m. - Congressman Gene Green, who is not seeking re-election, voices his support for Sylvia Garcia who could fill his Dist. 29 seat in January.

8:16 p.m. - Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale takes the stage at Ted Cruz's watch party to address supporters.

8:16 p.m. - Crowds are filing into Beto O'Rourke's watch party in El Paso.

8:03 p.m. - The Associated Press has called the race for Texas governor, reporting Greg Abbott has won his bid for re-election against Lupe Valdez.

7:07 p.m. - Congressman Beto O'Rourke is hosting his campaign party at the Triple A Ballpark in El Paso. The campaign expects several thousands people to attend, and his campaign said they are very optimistic about the results.

WATCH: O'Rourke campaign optimistic about election results

7 p.m. - Ted Cruz supporters are beginning to file into the Hilton Post Oak for his watch party.

WATCH: Mass turnout at Cruz campaign watch party in the Galleria

6:26 p.m. - Preps are in place for Sen. Ted Cruz's watch party at Hilton Post Oak.

5:09 p.m. - Because nine polling locations in Harris County will stay open until 8 p.m., early voting results will not be released until that time.

4:51 p.m. - A federal judge has signed an order to extend polling times at nine locations throughout Harris County until 8 p.m. Tuesday. This change comes after the Texas Civil Rights Project and Texas Organizing Project filed a lawsuit against Harris County when several polling locations didn't open on time Tuesday morning.

4:43 p.m. - Harris County election officials say as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, about 209,000 people have voted on Election Day in the county. That number is on track with its earlier projection of 275,000 people for the day. KHOU 11 News reporter Adam Bennett says one staff member estimates 70 percent of Harris County midterm voters voted early.

4:16 p.m. - Dan Rather settling into election day quite nicely.

Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune
Long lines for the start of early voting snaked around the parking at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.

4:02 p.m. - The Texas Civil Rights Project and Texas Organizing Project are suing Harris County after several polling locations didn't open on time Tuesday morning, the Texas Tribune reports. The two groups are hoping to extend voting hours until 8 p.m. at nine locations.

VOTING PROBLEMS? This is 2002 technology in 2018. Many Texas counties purchased their current electronic voting machines about 15 years ago. The manufacturer says that's important context as to why some voters have faced issues voting a straight-ticket ballot. Tap here to read more.

3:15 p.m. - Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee holds a press conference on voter irregularities after an assistant election judge was fired for using a racial slur today.

3:15 p.m. - NO LINES HERE. Voters at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center are getting in and out in no time.

LOOKING AHEAD: Taking a look how Ted Cruz vs. Beto O'Rourke could predict America's political future. Few political races say more about the current state of American politics than the tight race for the U.S. Senate in Texas. Tap here to read more.

Reporters Jason Miles and Jessica Borg are live covering the Ted Cruz campaign at the Post Oak hotel in the Galleria. Reporter Marcelino Benito is live in El Paso covering Beto O'Rourke.

2:45 p.m. - Did you vote today? How were the lines at your polling place? If you run into any problems, email us at newstips@khou.com.

CRUZ vs. BETO: Since launching his bid for U.S. Senate last year, U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke has painted Republican incumbent Ted Cruz as a senator whose national ambitions have distracted him from his Texas duties. Cruz has questioned what accomplishments the congressman from El Paso has to his name.

How exactly do the two men's records stack up? Their legislative achievements are easy to compare, given that both men entered Congress on the same day — Jan. 3, 2013. Tap here to read more.

2:34 p.m. - How are YOU staying stress free this election day? Our reporter Melissa Correa is racing around working on a story about how to be stress free. OH THE IRONY!

2:01 p.m. - Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted that "voters and poll workers should feel safe from harm while participating in our democratic process. We will not tolerate any form of violence or intimidation at the polls."

1:58 p.m. - A Harris County assistant election judge was cited for assaulting a voter at a northwest Houston polling center.

1:41 p.m. - Rapper Travis Scott tweeted that he's leaving tickets to his sold out Astroworld Festival at two polling locations: one at the Missouri City Community Center and Frenchy's Chicken off Scott Street near downtown. Scott said recipients must show proof of Houston residency.

Noon - Our Janel Forte has the latest on what could be a highly contested face-off between Lizzie Fletcher and John Culberson for a spot in Congress.

WATCH: The latest on the race between Culberson, Fletcher

10 a.m. - #HTownRush's chinedu Ogu has the right idea for Election Day. What do you think?

9:50 a.m. - Congressional candidates John Culberson and Lizzie Fletcher are expected to cast their vote this morning.

9:20 a.m. - Pollsters have been trying to make predictions about who will win on Election Day for weeks. So - why is it so hard to get this one right? Our Rekha Muddaraj explains.

THE WHY: Why are elections so hard to predict?

9:15 a.m. - Every other year, we head to the polls on a Tuesday in November. Shern-Min Chow connects the dots on how the tradition got started.

CONNECT THE DOTS: Holding elections on a Tuesday

8:35 a.m. - O'Rourke says he is feeling good about the senate race with Sen. Ted Cruz.

8:30 a.m. - Will polling places be able to handle the volume of voters? KHOU 11 has received several complaints already this morning.

8:25 a.m - Congressman Beto O'Rourke arrives to cast his vote in El Paso.

8:20 a.m. - Be careful with the extra traffic around schools, which also serve as polling place today. The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office is asking motorists to be patient.

7:55 a.m. - How long are the lines at your polling place? How long did it take you to vote?

7:25 a.m. - Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke is set to cast his vote this morning in El Paso.

7:05 a.m. - Do you prefer voting on Election Day or skipping to lines and voting early?

7 a.m. Polls are now open. If you experience any issues with your polling place, email us at newstips@khou.com.

6:45 a.m. - A KHOU 11 viewer wrote concerned about whether her absentee ballot would be counted. Here is what Brandi Smith found.

6:30 a.m. - Michelle Choi has a quick look at three of the top races Houston area voters will be keeping an eye on.

6:15 a.m. - Here 10 important tips before you head to the polls on Election Day.

6 a.m. - With in an hour until polls open, how are you feeling about the midterm elections?

5:40 a.m. - Need some help getting to the polls? Houston METRO hs you covered. They are offering free rides on buses, the light rail and METROLift.

5:30 a.m. - Be careful on your way to the polls this morning. There is a Dense Fog Advisory in effect or some areas.

ELECTION DAY FORECAST: Warm, humid with a slight chance for rain

5:20 a.m. - Brandi Smith gets the conversation going - why did you vote this year? "I'll start. I voted because I want to do everything I can to lay the groundwork for a positive future for my kids."

5:10 a.m. - Janel Forte is back on the Houston History Bus Tuesday morning. The Houston Women's March is sponsoring rides to the polls on the Houston History Bus.

HTOWN60: Need a right to the polls?

5:05 a.m. - We want to know what motivated you to vote.

RELATED LINKS:

ELECTION DAY: KHOU 11 News election coverage, race results

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