Category Archives: Election 2013

Runoff endorsement watch: For Kubosh

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes the last of its runoff endorsements by choosing Michael Kubosh in At Large #3. Looking at the candidates for the runoff, it feels a bit like the whole City Council At-large 3 race was a competition of … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Two quick takes

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I had wondered if partisan affiliation might be a factor in the HISD 7 race between Republican incumbent Harvin Moore and Democratic challenger Anne Sung. Like Houston races, HISD Trustee races are officially non-partisan, but also like Houston races, people … Continue reading →

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Runoff endorsement watch: Boykins in D

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As noted before, there are two runoffs in which neither of the candidates were endorsed by the Chron in Round One. One of those races is in District D, and the Chron’s choice for Round Two is Dwight Boykins. “I’m … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: At Large 1, 4, and 5

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, we looked at the competitive At Large Council races. Now let’s look at the three At Large races that weren’t competitive. First up is At Large #1, where CM Stephen Costello won a third term. Dist Costello Griffin … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: City Controller

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s move on to the Controller’s race, where incumbent Ronald Green held on to win a third term against challenger Bill Frazer. Dist Frazer Green Frazer% Green% ===================================== A 6,609 4,102 61.70% 38.30% B 1,637 10,035 14.03% 85.97% C 14,185 … Continue reading →

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Re-endorsement watch: Three Council repeats

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reiterates its endorsement in three Council races. David Robinson: In the run-off for At-large Council Position 2, there is an especially clear choice facing city voters. Architect David Robinson has the professional skills and lengthy experience as a … Continue reading →

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Re-endorsement watch: The same crew for HCC

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reiterates its support for the three HCC runoff candidates they had originally endorsed for November. Zeph Capo is the clear choice for voters in District 1, the northside district that has been extended to include the impoverished Gulfton … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: At Large 2 and 3

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of action, and lots of candidates in the At Large races this year. Let’s look at the two races that are going to the runoffs, At Large #2 and 3. First is AL2, in which first term CM Andrew … Continue reading →

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Lisa Falkenberg profiles Dave Wilson

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m very glad to see some coverage of Dave Wilson that includes relevant information about who he is. Narrow-minded bigot. Homophobic hate-meister. Political mischief-maker. Given all the unkind labels Dave Wilson has incurred over the years, I wasn’t sure what … Continue reading →

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Three questions for the runoffs

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There are eight runoff elections on the ballot in Houston – two At Large Council races, three District Council races, and three HCC Trustee races. As we transition into runoff mode, there are three questions on my mind for the … Continue reading →

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Not in a rush about the Dome after all

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll get to deciding what to do with the Dome when we get to it. Harris County leaders are in no rush to decide what to do with the Astrodome, leaving the empty and decaying stadium to languish further following … Continue reading →

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How Dave Wilson campaigned

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From KHOU: Dave Wilson chuckles as he talks about his unorthodox political campaign. “I’d always said it was a long shot,” Wilson says. “No, I didn’t expect to win.” Still, he figured he’d have fun running, because he was fed … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The Dome and the jail

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Now that precinct data is out, the Chron has an updated take on what sunk the Astrodome referendum. Overall, 53.4 percent of Harris County voters rejected the bond issue that would have renovated the long-vacant Dome into a convention and … Continue reading →

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Meet Richard Nguyen

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Council Member-elect in District F is little known outside the district. From the opaque world of local Vietnamese politics comes a story as old as American politics, as inspiring as a Frank Capra movie, as bittersweet as the lost … Continue reading →

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It always comes down to the IT guys

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The joint processing center that’s on the Harris County ballot this year will need a new computer system to fully realize its gains. The so-called “jail management system,” which the Sheriff’s Office hopes will be up and running at least … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Mayoral race

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Precinct data arrived late on Friday, so you know what that means. I’ll be taking a look at all of the races this week. Let’s start with the main event, the Mayor’s race. Dist Drab Dick Cook Keryl Hall Parker … Continue reading →

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What next in Pasadena?

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Just waiting on the lawsuit at this point. There have been other elections in Pasadena with closer results, but not many. After all of the votes were counted in Tuesday’s (November 5) Charter Amendment election, Proposition One: “Shall the City … Continue reading →

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Theories abound about why the Dome referendum failed

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said the outcome of both county bond propositions, as well as the Katy stadium, is indicative of resistance among conservative voters to big-ticket spending items … Continue reading →

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So what happens now with the Dome?

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s mostly dead, but I suppose it’s not all dead just yet. The board of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp., the county agency that runs Reliant Park, passed a resolution in April saying that if a vote were … Continue reading →

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Ousted HCC Trustee Bruce Austin seeks recount

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise, but don’t hold out much hope. Longtime Houston Community College Board Trustee Bruce Austin on Wednesday said he will request a recount after narrowly losing his District 2 seat to his challenger in Tuesday’s election. Small business owner … Continue reading →

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What’s on the agenda for Mayor Parker in her third term

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Now that Mayor Parker has been safely re-elected, with a better-than-expected margin, what does she plan to do from here? A triumphant Parker on Tuesday lauded her “decisive” victory but quickly shifted her focus to the coming two years, listing … Continue reading →

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Why stealth campaigns can work

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the HCC Trustee election results. See if you can spot what’s missing. A total of 13 candidates, including the four incumbents, vied for the five open seats on the nine-member board. Many ran on a … Continue reading →

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Election results: Houston

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Annise Parker easily won re-election, collecting over 57% of the vote in Harris County to beat Ben Hall by nearly thirty points, and far exceeding the expectations of most observers going into Election Day. I personally thought she had … Continue reading →

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Election results: Harris County

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The big story: RIP, Astrodome. A $217 million bond measure to fund a massive Astrodome renovation failed by several percentage points, a decision expected to doom it to the wrecking ball. Proposition 2 would have allowed Harris County to issue … Continue reading →

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Election results: Texas

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Short and sweet: All nine constitutional amendments passed, all by substantial margins. Here’s The Observer on Prop 6. The Texas Water Development Board will now oversee a $2 billion water bank, seeded with capital from the Rainy Day Fund, to … Continue reading →

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Election Day today

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

For the however many of you that haven’t voted yet, here’s a message from County Clerk Stan Stanart: 4,500 Election Judges and Clerks are prepared to receive voters on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, at the 775 locations throughout Harris … Continue reading →

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Early voting wrapup: Did we run out of early voters?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting is officially over, though a few more mail ballots will trickle in by tomorrow. Here are the final numbers, with the chart from Thursday being updated: 2013 2011 2009 2007 Here again is that look at turnout over … Continue reading →

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The HISD elections and Terry Grier

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron writes about the possible effect of the HISD Trustee elections on Superintendent Terry Grier and his agenda items like Apollo and revamped teacher evaluations. Of the three contested elections, the one that has the greatest potential to swing … Continue reading →

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On the uses of the New Dome

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

So it’s looking pretty good for the Astrodome renovation referendum. But what exactly will we get if it does pass? In particular, will the New Dome be economically sustainable in a way that the current one is not? To date, … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Sometimes the answer is No

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron recommend a No vote on the Pasadena redistricting referendum. There is no need for mid-decade redistricting in Pasadena, least of all with a plan that has been dug out of the trash. The once lily-white town of Pasadena … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of the Pasadena redistricting referendum

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron covers the most important ballot item in Harris County that isn’t the two countywide propositions, the charter amendment in Pasadena. The charter change would replace two of Pasadena’s eight single-member City Council districts with seats elected citywide. But … Continue reading →

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Response from Carroll Robinson

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A few days ago, I noted that notorious gay-hater Dave Wilson was up to his usual tricks in the HCC 1 race, even though he himself was running in HCC 2. Wilson sent out an attack mailer against Zeph Capo … Continue reading →

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Affidavits everywhere

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Dallas County. At least one out of every seven early voters in Dallas County has had to sign an affidavit verifying his or her identity as part of Texas’ new voter ID law. Though no one in Dallas County has … Continue reading →

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EV Day 10: Two normally big days to go

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We have completed ten days of early voting. Traditionally, the last two days are the big ones. Will we see the same this year? First, here are the comps: 2013 2011 2009 2007 Here’s a look at how turnout has … Continue reading →

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