Today at 5 PM is the filing deadline for city elections. Martha has her usual roundup of who has filed. So far, the only bit of suspense is in the Mayor’s race, where Roy Morales has yet to do his paperwork. I presume he’s just taking his time, but you never know what can happen. And whatever does happen, be sure to come by Cafe Adobe at 5:30 to have a drink and talk about it.
Meanwhile, the only contested HISD Trustee race is in the District I seat that Natasha Kamrani is leaving open. Oddly, the open District V still has only one candidate. Mike Lunceford may be the luckiest guy of the cycle. We’ll know soon enough. Of interest to me since I brought it up yesterday is this:
On Monday, in his last day on the job, now-retired HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra suggested in an interview that the structure of the Houston school board be changed so that four of the nine members are elected at-large by the entire community — rather than by a smaller geographic district.
In most Texas school districts, the board members are elected at-large, said Thompson and Kelly Frels, another longtime school attorney.
HISD’s system of single-member districts is the result of a 1975 state statute designed to increase minority representation specifically on the Houston school board, the attorneys said.
If Houston wanted to change to at-large board members, the Legislature would have to act and the Justice Department would have to sign off, Frels said.
The Dallas school board is set up similar to Houston’s, while Austin has a hybrid board, with two of the nine trustees elected at-large.
Laurie Bricker, a former HISD board member, said she agrees with Saavedra’s suggestion of a hybrid board.
“I think it would bring a nice blend,” Bricker said. “This is not a criticism of single-member district board members. But they have to be mindful. There is a group that elected them. They have special interests.”
I guess I figured that there would be a Justice Department issue. I’m still not sure what the allure of a hybrid system is, though.
One more thing: According to a sidebar on the story, this is the filing situation for the Houston Community College Board of Trustees:
HCC CANDIDATES
Like HISD, the Houston Community College board election has drawn few candidates so far. The filing deadline is today. HCC board candidates as of Tuesday:
• District 3: Diane Olmos Guzman (incumbent), Mary Ann Perez
• District 6: Sandra Meyers
• District 8: No candidates
The District 6 incumbent is Mills Worsham, who as we know is running for City Council. The District 8 incumbent is Abel Davila, who I presume is running for re-election. I’m just curious, though: What happens if Davila somehow manages to screw up his filing (think Ray Jones), and no one else files? Anybody know the answer offhand?
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The City Charter says filing can be done at least 30 days before the election… how did they come up with September 2nd?
Jennifer – I don’t know what the city charter says, but the state elections code is the controlling law here, and it specifies a filing deadline of 62 days before the election.
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