Tag Archives: petitions

The clown show is coming for Drag Queen Story Time

Posted on October 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The words, they fail me. The group that opposed and defeated Houston’s equal rights ordinance in 2015 announced Tuesday it is launching a petition drive aimed at prohibiting Drag Queen Storytime, the program shuttered earlier this year by city officials … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Two HISD candidates fail to qualify for the ballot

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We revisit a periodic issue. Two applicants seeking to replace Houston ISD Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones have failed to qualify for the November ballot, leaving five candidates running for the open seat, according to HISD officials. Michael Maloney, an athletics coach, … Continue reading →

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July 2019 campaign finance reports: Mayoral candidates

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

All right, now that we are past the 15th, most of the campaign finance reports are in, so let’s start reviewing them. Because there are several thousand candidates running for office in Houston, I’m going to split them into several … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Libertarians and Greens sue over the petition process for ballot access

Posted on July 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. Ahead of the 2020 election cycle, a group of Texans, along with a number of nonmajor political parties, have sued the secretary of state’s office, alleging that Texas election law discriminates against third-party and independent candidates … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“Pay to play” petition drive falls short

Posted on July 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Womp womp. The political action committee that launched a petition drive aimed at limiting the influence of contractors and vendors at Houston City Hall failed to gather enough signatures to put the measure on the November ballot, the group’s director … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Here comes another referendum no one will understand

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Be careful what petitions you sign, that’s my advice. A political action committee is launching a petition drive Sunday aimed at limiting how much city contractors and vendors can contribute to municipal candidates, marking the start of a month-long effort … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

A strange way to improve ballot access

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Hard not to see partisan motives in this. A bill on track to reach Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk appears designed to make it easier for Green Party candidates and harder for Libertarian candidates to get on the Texas ballot in … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Our increasingly non-dry state

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

There are now only five counties in Texas where you can’t buy alcohol. On Election Day in Stanton, just north of Midland, Ron Black was skeptical that a particular measure on the ballot would pass. “Well, I think at first … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dallas lawsuit over candidate eligibility officially mooted

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: On Thursday, September 20, 2018, the Fifth Court of Appeals issued an Order in Dallas County GOP v. Dallas County Democratic Party, stating that any relief related to the November election is moot, and that the appeal, … Continue reading →

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Appeals court allows city to post video of pay parity hearing

Posted on August 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Probably doesn’t matter much at this point, but there it is. A Texas appeals court on Thursday ordered a state district judge to rescind his temporary restraining order requiring the city of Houston to remove video from its website that … Continue reading →

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The firefighter pay parity referendum won’t be decided by the voters

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

it will be decided by the courts. Here’s a story out of Austin to illustrate. Former Travis County judge Bill Aleshire has sued the city of Austin in the Texas Supreme Court, challenging the ballot language of a proposition up … Continue reading →

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From the “Many are called, but few are chosen” department

Posted on August 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here are your non-standard choices for the November election. Independent candidates Candidates unaffiliated with a political party are allowed access to the general election ballot as long as they file the necessary paperwork and gather a certain number of signatures — depending … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Firefighters file suit over handling of pay parity proposal

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I figured we’d have to wait till after the eventual vote on the firefighters’ pay parity proposal for there to be litigation over it, but no. The union representing Houston firefighters sued Mayor Sylvester Turner and a City Council member … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Council discusses firefighter pay parity proposal

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It will cost some money if it passes. Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña said Thursday that his firefighters deserve raises, but he would be hard-pressed to maintain his department budget without reducing his ranks if voters approve a measure granting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No quorum for very special Council meeting

Posted on July 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Close, but no cigar. A handful of city council members who organized a rare special meeting to push for a Houston firefighters petition seeking pay “parity” with police to appear on the November ballot fell short of a quorum Friday … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

A very special Council meeting

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Who knew there was such a thing? In a rare maneuver that sidesteps Mayor Sylvester Turner’s authority, five city council members have called a special meeting this week, hoping to force the issue of Houston firefighters’ push for a referendum … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Failed indy Senate candidate accuses Cruz campaign of sabotage

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I’m gonna fire up the popcorn popper. When independent U.S. Senate candidate Jonathan Jenkins missed the filing deadline for the November ballot last month, it surprised the political observers who had been keeping an eye on his Texas run. Jenkins, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Indie Party” Senate candidate misses filing deadline

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is my heart breaking for him. Jonathan Jenkins, an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas whose unconventional campaign has drawn Republican objections, has missed the deadline to submit the signatures needed to appear on the … Continue reading →

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Dem primary loser in CD06 files “vote fraud” lawsuit

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is me banging my head on my desk. Democrat Ruby Woolridge has filed a lawsuit challenging her 717-vote primary runoff loss for the 6th Congressional District to Jana Lynne Sanchez. In the lawsuit, Woolridge claims that … Continue reading →

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We may have reached peak independent candidate

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Jonathan Jenkins, who would apparently like to be on your ballot for the Senate this fall. It’s got a high-tech evangelist for a founder, $6 million in private equity investments, even its own crypto-currency. No, it’s not a driverless … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

No Greens

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t honestly say I’m sorry. When Texans head to the ballot box this November, they’ll be able to vote for Republicans, Democrats or Libertarians. If they want to choose a candidate affiliated with another political group, they might have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Firefighters have their signatures

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

On to the next act in this drama. A petition Houston firefighters submitted last summer seeking pay parity with police contains enough valid signatures to trigger a referendum election, City Secretary Anna Russell reported to Mayor Sylvester Turner and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

Count of firefighters’ pay parity petitions needs to be done by Friday

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Or else. Not sure what follows the “or else”, but maybe we won’t have to find out. City Secretary Anna Russell has one week to finish verifying a petition Houston firefighters submitted last summer seeking pay parity with police or … Continue reading →

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Judge orders firefighters’ petitions to be counted

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. A state district judge on Tuesday ordered Houston’s city secretary to finish reviewing firefighters’ petition asking for pay parity with police, giving her until April 27 to validate the eight-month-old signatures. Firefighters submitted a petition last … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

What are the elections of interest this May?

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a question I’m asking as well as one I’m trying to answer. Normally, there are no elections in May of any kind of year for Houston folks, though there are some for parts of Harris County and surrounding areas. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Firefighters sue to get their pay parity petitions certified

Posted on March 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to put this here. Houston firefighters on Monday asked a judge to force the city secretary to validate signatures on an equal pay referendum petition that has been backlogged in City Hall for eight months. The referendum … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Independent candidates’ day

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing with a theme, there are a lot of wannabe independent candidates for various offices, most of whom will never make it onto the ballot. Dallas billionaire Ross Perot did it in 1992 and 1996. Satirist Kinky Friedman and Comptroller … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Davila lawsuit over ballot access rejected

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. Amidst claims of illegal signature gathering and improper mailers in an East End justice of the peace race, a visiting senior judge ruled against a Houston Independent School Board trustee in her suit against the county … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Diana Davila sues over ballot rejection

Posted on December 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There’s one of these every cycle. Diana Davila said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in state district court that her application to run for justice of the peace Precinct 6, Place 2 in the March primary election was inappropriately rejected … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

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

Firefighters complain about petition counting process

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, good Lord. Houston firefighters are accusing Mayor Sylvester Turner of standing between them and a voter-approved pay raise by failing to ensure a petition they submitted last month is certified in time to appear on the November ballot. Turner … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

More on the firefighters’ pay parity proposal

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that full Chron story I mentioned yesterday: Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall on Monday in support of asking voters in November to mandate parity in pay between firefighter and police officer ranks, a maneuver that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Firefighters turn in their petitions

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them, but boy is this thing a train wreck. Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall Monday in support of putting a ballot initiative on the November election mandating parity in pay between firefighter and police-officer … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 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