Tag Archives: Harris County

Today is Election Day

Posted on November 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Election Day is November 5th and thanks to countywide voting, more than 2.3 million eligible voters in Harris County may cast their ballots at the voting center of their choice. A total of 757 polling locations throughout … Continue reading →

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So what do we think final 2019 turnout will be?

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s take the numbers we have so far and try to hone in a bit more exactly on what to expect tomorrow, shall we? I’m going to go back a little farther into the past and establish some patterns. 2019 … Continue reading →

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A wrapup for early voting

Posted on November 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story on the end of early voting. Early voting ended Friday with a late surge in turnout among Harris County voters, surpassing voter participation in some prior mayoral election years but falling short of totals seen during … Continue reading →

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Final 2019 EV totals: With a bit of bonus poll-analyzing

Posted on November 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting for the 2019 election is officially over. Let’s look at those numbers one last time: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2019 137,460 15,304 152,764 26,824 2015 164,104 29,859 193,963 43,280 2013 87,944 21,426 109,370 30,572 The 2019 … Continue reading →

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Day Eleven 2019 EV totals: One day to go

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Hope everyone had a good Halloween. How many of y’all spent it voting? Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2019 103,945 14,280 118,225 26,820 2015 128,611 27,952 156,563 43,280 2013 68,803 20,491 89,294 30,572 The 2019 Day Eleven file is … Continue reading →

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Day Ten 2019 EV totals: Congrats to the Nats

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Astros fans. Try to remember that it was a good season regardless of what happened in the last seven games. And as they used to say in Brooklyn, wait till next year. Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2019 … Continue reading →

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Last bail lawsuit hearing

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

At least I assume it’s the last one. I’ve been thinking this was all over but for the formality for months now, so what do I know? Dianna Williams has witnessed the “collateral damage” of jailing on the fabric of … Continue reading →

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Day Nine 2019 EV totals: The “all everyone cares about is the World Series” edition

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

You know the drill, so let’s do the thing: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2019 76,613 11,356 87,969 26,740 2015 89,599 24,768 114,367 42,938 2013 54,071 17,987 72,058 30,549 The 2019 Day Nine file is here, the final 2015 … Continue reading →

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Day Eight 2019 EV totals: The uptick has begun

Posted on October 29, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Week Two early voting turnout is always higher than Week One. In part, that has been because of extended hours beginning on the second Monday. This year the hours are the same, but we got a step up anyway. Year … Continue reading →

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Day Seven 2019 EV totals: It’s been a week

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

And I’ve been too busy to post these on a daily basis, much less do anything with them. I apologize for that, but can’t make any promises that next week will be better. Stay strong. Year Early Mail Total Mailed … Continue reading →

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Day Five 2019 EV totals: Steady as she goes

Posted on October 26, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

There are two Monday through Friday periods in Early Voting, and we just finished the first of them. Let’s check in on the numbers. Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2019 44,244 6,790 51,043 26,105 2015 48,027 21,141 69,168 42,938 … Continue reading →

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Day Three 2019 EV totals: It’s still early

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry I skipped yesterday’s EV totals. I’m going to try to do this every day but that’s easier said than done. Let’s pick it up from here. Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2019 26,206 6,050 32,256 22,142 2015 27,596 … Continue reading →

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Jackson to challenge Ellis in Precinct 1

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. Former Harris County criminal court judge Maria T. Jackson will challenge incumbent Rodney Ellis for Harris County Precinct 1 commissioner, her campaign announced Monday. Jackson, the county’s longest serving felony judge until her resignation last month, plans … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For the Metro bond

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

All of the candidate endorsements have been done by the Chron, but there remain the endorsements for ballot propositions. Which is to say, the Metro referendum and the constitutional amendments. I’ll address the latter tomorrow, but for now here’s the … Continue reading →

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Day One 2019 EV totals: Let’s get this started

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s that time again, time to track daily early vote totals. Let’s get right to it, shall we? Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2019 7,973 5,407 13,380 20,148 2015 8,889 14,240 23,129 40,626 2013 5,028 8,560 13,588 28,620 The … Continue reading →

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Early voting for the November 2019 election starts today

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox. Early Voting Starts Today Monday, October 21 to Friday, November 1 Voting is so much more convenient this year, and you can experience that starting at 7AM on October 21, when Early Voting starts. To find a … Continue reading →

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Ogg continues to have problems with the bail settlement

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t like this. District Attorney Kim Ogg is rallying police officers across Harris County to show up in federal court en masse to oppose to a landmark bail reform agreement at a final hearing set for this month. She … Continue reading →

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The need for voter registration never ends

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A small step back, but I expect a big step forward next year. Democrats in Texas see registering new voters as crucial to winning statewide elections in 2020, but the number of registered voters in Harris County, the state’s largest, … Continue reading →

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The visiting judge and the public defender

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I want to understand more about this. Commissioner Rodney Ellis is calling for a review of the process used to select substitute judges after fielding a scathing letter from the county’s public defender outlining two decades of allegations against ex-Judge … Continue reading →

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The state will be handling the Harvey relief funds

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t worry your pretty little heads about it. Texas is likely another nine months from getting $4.3 billion in federal post-Hurricane Harvey recovery money aimed at better protecting the state from future flooding and disasters. But when it finally arrives, … Continue reading →

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Cagle and Radack break quorum

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

They did it. Two Harris County Commissioners Court members skipped Tuesday’s meeting to prevent the Democratic majority from voting on a property tax rate hike that would increase revenue by 8 percent. Republican commissioners Steve Radack and Jack Cagle were … Continue reading →

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Will Radack and Cagle break quorum to stop a tax rate hike?

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll find out today. Harris County Commissioners Court has scheduled a vote Tuesday to hike property taxes by 8 percent, though the two Republican members can thwart the plan by simply skipping the vote. A quirk in the Texas Government … Continue reading →

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Rodney Ellis may have an opponent in 2020

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Keep your eye on this: NEW: Maria Jackson, #HarrisCounty’s longest-serving felony court judge, today announced her resignation after 10yrs, effective 9/30. County scuttlebutt for months has been Jackson will challenge Pct. 1 Commissioner @RodneyEllis in the 2020 Democratic primary. (h/t … Continue reading →

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Ronald Haskell convicted

Posted on September 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but nothing can undo the damage he did. Cassidy Stay, the lone survivor of a 2014 shooting that killed her mother, father and four younger siblings, folded her hands in prayer inside a courtroom while awaiting a verdict. The … Continue reading →

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KHOU/HPM poll: Turner 37, Buzbee 20, King 10

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We must be getting into the serious part of Houston Election Season, because we have our first public poll of the Mayor’s race. Mayor Sylvester Turner leads trial lawyer and businessman Tony Buzbee by 17 points, according to a KHOU/Houston … Continue reading →

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Other counties also considering property tax rate hikes

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. A statewide property tax relief plan that takes effect next year is prompting hefty tax increases this fall in many of the biggest cities and counties in Texas, even in places that … Continue reading →

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The cumulative effect

Posted on September 22, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We really need to give a lot more thought, and action, to this. As the flood-weary city of Houston recovers from yet another historic storm in the coming days, rubber-gloved mucking brigades and tow truck armies will swoop in to … Continue reading →

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The Democratic Club of The Woodlands

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, there are Democrats in The Woodlands. That should not come as a surprise to anyone. Residents of The Woodlands who identify as Democrats often say they feel out of place or unwelcome in Republican-dominated Montgomery County. Some have relayed … Continue reading →

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Quorum question

Posted on September 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Who knew? A quirk in Texas law could allow the two Republicans on Harris County Commissioners Court, despite being in the minority, to prevent the three Democrats from enacting a proposed property tax increase. Typically, three court members constitute a quorum, … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court gets more aggressive on environmental enforcement

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to hire 61 employees across three departments in a bid to significantly boost Harris County’s ability to respond to environmental emergencies after finding numerous shortcomings in its efforts to manage three chemical fires near … Continue reading →

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Voting centers everywhere

Posted on September 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

In Dallas: Starting in November, problems like Mr. Voter’s, at least in Dallas County, will be a thing of the past. Tuesday afternoon, the Texas Secretary of State’s Office officially gave the county permission to participate in the countywide voting … Continue reading →

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What’s going on with the Astrodome?

Posted on September 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on the back burner for now. A $105 million county-approved plan to renovate and build parking at Houston’s most famous relic has been put on pause since the plan’s most prominent advocate, Republican Ed Emmett, lost his seat last … Continue reading →

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The Harris County GOP thinks it can come back in 2020

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

They’re so adorable. Once a rock of Republican politics in Texas, Harris County has become nothing short of a nightmare for the GOP over the last four years as Hillary Clinton and Beto O’Rourke carried the county and Democrats dominated … Continue reading →

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One more step towards the bail lawsuit settlement

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We’re almost there. I know it feels like we’ve been there for awhile and are just waiting for it all to become official, but there were still a few checkpoints to get through first, and this is one of them. … Continue reading →

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