HOUSTON—Gene Locke held a rally downtown, Annise Parker sent a video message to her followers on Twitter, Roy Morales taped a new radio commercial, and Peter Brown called potential voters one by one.

This is how the four people who hope to replace Bill White spent their final day on the campaign trail Monday, hours before Houstonians head to the polls to cast their vote.

Already, the Harris County Clerk reports 80,516 votes have been cast through early voting and mail ballots. An estimated 220,000 people are expected to vote by Tuesday night.

“My mood is one of calm anticipation,” said Parker, as she prepared to tape a message that would be sent out via her campaign’s Twitter account. “I feel very optimistic about the results tomorrow, and every time I come to this headquarters I get energized because there are always volunteers here. I have 1,200 people who have signed up to volunteer.”

Peter Brown spent the afternoon going down a list of registered voters, calling them via cell phone.

“We’re very positive about how we have reached out to all parts of this great city with a message of continuing the progress we’ve made over the last six years,” he said. “I love to talk about the future of the city of Houston.”

At midday, Roy Morales zipped from his east Houston headquarters to the other side of town to tape a final radio commercial. On Saturday, he said he believed his message to voters was getting through.

“If you look at what’s happened at city hall, we have a crumbling budget,” he said.

Candidate Gene Locke held a noontime rally for city employees at Tranquility Park in downtown Houston.

“It was important for me to speak to city workers,” he said. “To tell them how much I respect them and to tell them how much my administration will be an open administration.”

His campaign handed out free hot dogs, and his 4-year-old granddaughter clung to his neck.

“Are you tired of this?” she asked.

“No, I’m not tired of this,” he answered.