Category Archives: Election 2010

A closer look at the turnout issue in 2014

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I wrote yesterday about turnout for this year’s election. The main problem that Democrats face this year is that turnout has basically been flat for them since 2002 in the off year elections. I began to write a post to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010, Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A closer look at the turnout issue in 2014

Neil finally concedes in HD48

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

At long last, it’s finally over. Republican Dan Neil dropped out of the race today for the Texas House seat in District 48. Neil lost to Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, on Election Day by 16 votes. After a recount, Howard’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Neil finally concedes in HD48

Howard wins again

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s fourth and long for Dan Neil. The House Election Contest Committee unanimously voted [Tuesday] to uphold Rep. Will Hartnett’s determination that Donna Howard won the long-disputed House District 48 seat. Committee members said Republican Dan Neil did not provide … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Neil in it till the bitter end

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I guess he doesn’t have anything else to do right now. After some vacillation, the Republican who is contesting his loss to incumbent state Rep. Donna Howard said [Wednesday] that he is now inclined to take his fight the distance. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Neil in it till the bitter end

Howard declared the winner in HD48

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

At long last. Rep. Donna Howard won the House District 48 seat by four votes over Republican Dan Neil, according to state Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas. Hartnett was appointed to investigate their election after Neil challenged the results. […] Hartnett’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

HD48 election contest still going on

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still some more testimony to be heard in the election contest between Dan Neil and Rep. Donna Howard in HD48. That and closing arguments are scheduled for today. There was a key development in the contest on Thursday just … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HD48 election contest still going on

Update on the HD48 election contest

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart sums up the state of things in HD48, where there’s a recount of the recount and a lot more testimony to come. I have no idea what to expect from this, but I think she’s right that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Update on the HD48 election contest

Howard files formal response to Neil’s election contest

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just before Christmas, Dan Neil filed an election contest that challenged the result of his race against Rep. Donna Howard in HD 48, in which Neil lost by 12 votes. Howard filed a response called “special exceptions” at that time, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Howard files formal response to Neil’s election contest

Neil files for election contest in HD48

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this was inevitable. Republican Dan Neil is continuing his challenge of state Rep. Donna Howard’s razor-thin election night victory with an appeal to the Texas House of Representatives. Neil, who trailed Howard by 12 votes after a recount … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Prop 1 opponents file “We think the voters are stupid” lawsuit

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really angry about this. Opponents of Proposition 1, Houston’s recently-passed drainage fee, filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against Mayor Annise Parker and the City of Houston. The lawsuit calls Prop 1 “illegal” because “the ballot language does not accurately … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Kuempel wins his father’s seat

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We have a full House again. John Kuempel, son of the late state Rep. Edmund Kuempel, won a special election Tuesday to fill his late father’s seat, state election officials said. With all precincts reporting, John Kuempel, 40, received 65 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Kuempel wins his father’s seat

More evidence that expanded gambling is doomed

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the latest TPJ Lobby Watch: Gambling interests with stakes in the legalization of casinos or slot machines bet heavily on Democratic House candidates going into the Republican-dominated 2010 elections. Political bookies widely expected the GOP to expand its slim … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More evidence that expanded gambling is doomed

Howard still wins after recount in HD48

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Her margin is margin is a bit smaller, but still greater than zero, and that’s what counts. With the votes counted again, the Austin Democrat beat Republican challenger Dan Neil by just 12 votes, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Howard still wins after recount in HD48

Red light camera lawsuit

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m trying to understand exactly what this is all about. Here’s the little sidebar summary, which captures the basic facts pretty well: The city of Houston • filed a “pre-emptive lawsuit” in U.S. District Court Nov. 15 seeking a judge’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Stipeche wins HISD Trustee runoff

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From School Zone: Juliet Stipeche has won the Houston ISD District VIII school board runoff election by 48 votes, according to the unofficial results. Stipeche, an attorney, beat Judith Cruz, a stay-at-home mom and former HISD teacher, with 51 percent … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Stipeche wins HISD Trustee runoff

Runoff Day in HISD VIII

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the day of the runoff election for HISD Trustee in District VIII between Judith Cruz and Juliet Stipeche. According to School Zone, only about 1000 votes were cast during early voting, so if you live in this district, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Runoff Day in HISD VIII

Recount sought in HD48

Posted on November 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Given how close this one was, a recount was to be expected. Republican Dan Neil is seeking a recount in his challenge to state Rep. Donna Howard in the District 48 seat that represents part of Travis County. Neil has … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Recount sought in HD48

Ortiz concedes

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise. U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz on Monday conceded the loss of his 27th District seat that he held for nearly three decades. A recount netted him more than 100 votes in Cameron County but left him still hundreds of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

As goes Harris, so goes CC2

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just as HD133 was a microcosm of Harris County in 2008, Sylvia Garcia’s County Commissioner precinct was a miniature version of the county as a whole in 2010. Take a look at how Democratic candidates did in County Commissioner Precinct … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Runoff reiteration

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reiterates its endorsement of Judith Cruz in the HISD Trustee runoff. To a large degree, the solution to the United States’ education problems is being worked out here in Houston. We’re the birthplace of some of the nation’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Runoff reiteration

Lineup set for HD44 special election

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here are your candidates for the special election to replace the late Rep. Edmund Kuempel of Seguin. Tony Gergely, a Seguin business owner, is the Libertarian in the race. The Democrats are Daniel Rodriguez Andrade of Seguin, who lists his … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who cares about the will of the voters?

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Prop 1 opponents don’t. Opponents of Proposition 1 are planning to lobby the state legislature to strike down the controversial drainage fee, even after voters narrowly approved it earlier this month. Don Hooper, who organized a political action committee blasting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Early voting information for the HISD VIII runoff

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One more election to go this year, the runoff for the open HISD Trustee seat in District VIII. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, early voting begins tomorrow and runs through next Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thibaut versus Murphy, third time around

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We know that the story of HD133, which has now been won twice by Jim Murphy and once by Kristi Thibaut, is one of turnout. With sufficient turnout in the Democratic part of the district – that is, the precincts … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What’s next for Bill White?

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Not a campaign. In the nearly two weeks since his decisive loss to Gov. Rick Perry, he’s had time to begin planning a family Christmas trip to a yet-to-be-decided Spanish-speaking country, to indulge his penchant for exploring new and interesting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Partisan breakdown for the city propositions

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Now that I have addressed the question of the effect of straight ticket voting on the city propositions, the next question is to figure out how they did in Republican and Democratic areas. To try and get a handle on … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Straight ticket voting and the city propositions

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, the Chron recently wrote an editorial decrying the rise in straight ticket voting. Among other things, they said: In two highly publicized Houston propositions on the ballot last Tuesday, nearly 56,000 voters did not register a choice … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Red light cameras to be turned off Monday

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This was unexpected. This week, officials with American Traffic Solutions Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz., received a letter dated Nov. 10 from city attorney David Feldman, who reversed his previous opinion that the contract requires Houston to give ATS a 120-day … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Special election to succeed Rep. Kuempel set

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Not surprisingly, Gov. Perry has set it for as soon as possible. The election for the term beginning in 2011 will be held Dec. 14, the governor’s office said. Candidates for District 44 in Texas House of Representatives must file … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Special election to succeed Rep. Kuempel set

On Latino turnout

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know how to make more Latinos vote. But I do know these things: 1. Whatever it is that Texas Democrats have been doing, assuming there is something that qualifies as some kind of action in this area, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Rep. Donna Howard wins re-election

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The closest election of this cycle has been decided, for now. State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, has defeated Republican challenger Dan Neil for state representative in District 48 by 16 votes. The count came after Travis County officials tallied all … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

So was this a one-time thing or not?

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So was the Republican showing in this year’s election an aberration or not? I’m going to limit this discussion to Harris County here. It’s clear by now that what we saw here was an unprecedented spike in Republican turnout. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

On straight ticket voting

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After Democrats made big gains in 2008 in Harris County thanks in part to straight ticket voting, I defended the practice from the Republican concern trolls that came out to wring their hands about it now that they were no … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

They picked a good year to have a scandal

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Reps. Joe Driver and Linda Harper Brown made it through the election and now just have to worry about what a prosecutor might think. The Travis County district attorney’s office is looking into Driver’s travel reimbursements. An official there last … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment