Category Archives: Election 2017

Endorsement watch: HISD V and VI

Posted on October 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Two more HISD endorsements, two more to go. Houston ISD, Trustee, District V: Sue Deigaard Four qualified candidates are running for an open seat in this southwest Houston district, which covers West University, Bellaire and Meyerland. Yet Sue Deigaard stands … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: HISD V and VI

An unsatisfying attempt at projecting turnout

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So as we all know, this in an unprecedented election, as there are no city races on the ballot. This has everyone wondering about turnout, because the usual drivers of turnout are a Mayor’s race and/or a big referendum, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: HISD I and III

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We have our first candidate endorsements of the season. Houston ISD, Trustee, District I: Monica Flores Richart In this heated race between three passionate candidates to represent Garden Oaks, the Heights and Near Northside, we endorse Monica Flores Richart. No … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: HISD I and III

Interview with Sergio Lira

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We come to the end of our week with candidates in HISD District III, to succeed Manuel Rodriguez. Bringing us home is Sergio Lira, who has been an assistant principal in HISD since 2006 – he is currently at Bellaire … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: The bonds

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Endorsement season has officially begun. The key referendum, Proposition A, is a solution to Houston’s potentially disastrous pension problem. A complex deal ushered through the Texas Legislature by Mayor Sylvester Turner would reduce the $8.2 billion unfunded pension burden now … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Jesse Rodriguez

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We continue with interviews in HISD Trustee District III, where four candidates vie to fill out the term of the late Manuel Rodriguez. Today’s interview subject is Jesse Rodriguez, no relation to Manuel, also known as DJ Jumpin’ Jess. Rodriguez … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Jesse Rodriguez

Lift Up Houston

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, you know there are bonds on the ballot, right? And Mayor Turner would like you to vote for them. Mayor Sylvester Turner spent much of his first year and a half keeping the civic conversation focused on winning legislative … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Carlos Perrett

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

On we go to District III, which would normally not be up for election this year, but the untimely passing of longtime Trustee Manuel Rodriguez created a vacancy that needs to be filled. The Board appointed an interim Trustee to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Carlos Perrett

Some voting locations were damaged by Harvey

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise, but we’re not doing much about it. More than three dozen polling sites were damaged in Hurricane Harvey and might not be available for the upcoming November elections, Harris County election officials announced Wednesday. Voters in Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Some voting locations were damaged by Harvey

Interview with Robert Lundin

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have one more interview to bring you in HISD Trustee District VI, where longtime Trustee Greg Meyers stepped down last November and Holly Flynn Vilaseca was appointed to fill out the remainder of his term. Robert Lundin is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Robert Lundin

Interview with Holly Flynn Vilaseca

Posted on October 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We turn now to HISD District VI, where longtime Trustee Greg Meyers resigned last year. Holly Flynn Vilaseca was selected by the remaining Trustees to fill out the last year of Meyers’ term, and now she seeks election to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Holly Flynn Vilaseca

Interview with Sean Cheben

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We come to the end of my interviews in HISD Trustee District V, to succeed the outgoing Mike Lunceford. There are four candidates in the race but i have done three interviews, which is mostly a reflection of how much … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Sean Cheben

Interview with Sue Deigaard

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We continue with interviews of candidates who seek to win the HISD Trustee seat held by the retiring Mike Lunceford. Sue Deigaard was the first member of her family to go to college, receiving two degrees from Rice University. She … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Sue Deigaard

Interview with Kara DeRocha

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We move now to another district with a retiring Trustee. Mike Lunceford has served District V for two terms, and despite some confusion at the end of last year about his intentions, has decided to call it a career as … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Gretchen Himsl

Posted on September 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Today we wrap up the series of interviews with candidates in HISD District I with Gretchen Himsl. Gretchen is a Policy Analyst for Children at Risk, an education-focused nonprofit that among other things puts out an annual evaluation of all … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Gretchen Himsl

Interview with Elizabeth Santos

Posted on September 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There’s about a two week gap between my interview with Monica Flores Richart and my interview with today’s candidate, Elizabeth Santos. In between, of course, Harvey happened, and among many other vastly more important things it affected how interested anyone … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Elizabeth Santos

Interview with Monica Flores Richart

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So it’s been a very strange election season. I’m sure you don’t need me to go over all the reasons for that again. Let me cut to the chase by saying I will be presenting an abbreviated set of candidate … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Monica Flores Richart

Endorsement watch: HGLBT Political Caucus, CVPE, and GPS

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The Houston GLBT Political Caucus PAC met on September 9, 2017. At the meeting the membership voted to endorse the following candidates: Kara DeRocha for HISD School Board Trustee – District V Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The HCC lineup

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

When I published the July finance reports for HCC trustees, I noted that the only reports available were for incumbents. There was no way to tell who might be challenging the two trustees up for re-election (Carolyn Evans-Shabazz and Robert … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Harvey and the elections

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Labor Day weekend of odd-numbered years is considered to be the opening weekend of Houston election season. The filing deadline has passed, so the fields are set and people (supposedly, at least) begin to pay attention. Candidate forums are held, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017, Election 2018, Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The ReBuild Houston footnote to the November ballot

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The following paragraph is buried deep in the full story about what will and will not be on the November ballot in Houston. Voters also will not face a reconsideration of the 2010 vote that established ReBuild Houston, the program … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The ReBuild Houston footnote to the November ballot

No charter amendments on the fall ballot

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Just bonds, school board and HCC races, and the mostly boring constitutional amendments. Oh, and Heights Alcohol 2.0, if you live there. Houston voters will face $1.5 billion in city bonds and nine community college or school board races this … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bond issue set for November

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Should be pretty straightforward, though I suppose you never know. November’s ballot will feature $495 million in public improvement bonds after City Council agreed Wednesday to send the package to Houston voters. The general bonds, which would not require a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

July 2017 campaign finance reports – HCC

Posted on August 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to the last and least interesting of these campaign finance report posts. This one is about the HCC Trustees, and there’s not much to see. Take a look at what there is – you can find all available reports … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

July 2017 campaign finance reports – HISD

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We still don’t know what’s happening with city of Houston elections this fall, but there’s plenty of action with HISD Trustee races. You can see all of the candidates who have filed so far and their July finance reports here. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

July 2017 campaign finance reports – City of Houston

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s continue our survey of campaign finance reports with reports from the city of Houston. Name Raised Spent Loans On Hand ================================================ Turner 520,430 138,068 0 1,643,519 Stardig 59,470 36,402 0 102,289 Davis 5,500 13,231 0 147,050 Cohen 5,000 8,382 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017, Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

There will be no city elections this November

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the early version of the story. I’ll add a link to the full story in the morning. The Texas Supreme Court on Monday denied plantiffs’ attempts to expedite their case challenging the [2015 term limits referendum] ballot language that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Firefighters petition for a raise

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Houston firefighters are launching a campaign to place on item on the November ballot asking voters to mandate parity in pay between corresponding firefighter and police-officer ranks. The petition drive to amend the city charter, slated to launch Saturday … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Precinct analysis: Humble ISD

Posted on July 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’d been meaning to go back to the Humble ISD election in May, where two Project LIFT candidates were running against incumbent members, to see what I could learn. The canvass reports are up on the Harris County Clerk website, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Precinct analysis: Humble ISD

Petitions have been submitted for Heights alcohol vote 2.0

Posted on July 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That was quick. Voters in the Heights will likely have the opportunity to further loosen alcohol restrictions in the neighborhood this November now that activists have secured more than the 1,500 signatures required to get a measure on the ballot. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Petitions have been submitted for Heights alcohol vote 2.0

Mike Lunceford announces he is not running for re-election

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Two-term HISD Trustee in District V Mike Lunceford posted the following on Facebook yesterday: Sometimes when you are passionate about something it is very hard to walk away from it. After 8 years on the Houston ISD School Board and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mike Lunceford announces he is not running for re-election

Bonds on the ballot

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Turner has one more item to deal with this November. Mayor Sylvester Turner is poised ask voters to approve bonds this fall to fund improvements to city parks, community centers, fire stations and health clinics, adding hundreds of millions … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

When might the Supreme Court speak on the Houston term limits lawsuit?

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So as you know there is an ongoing lawsuit over the language used in the 2015 referendum that altered the city’s term limits ordinance. It was filed shortly after the election, with the city winning the first round in district … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

May runoff results

Posted on June 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I know I’ve been all about the Pearland and Pasadena runoffs, but this is easily the big story from yesterday. With little more than 75% of precincts reporting, Mayor Ivy Taylor conceded victory to Councilman Ron Nirenberg (D8) just after … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment