Houston votes for mayor, City Council seats Saturday
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U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (L) and Texas Sen. John Whitmire (R). Photos: Marcus Ingram/Getty Image and Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty Images
It's not déjà vu — it's once again time to vote for Houston mayor.
Driving the news: Voters will decide Saturday whether Texas Sen. John Whitmire or U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee will take the city's top job starting in 2024.
- Both candidates are Democrats vying for the nonpartisan seat.
Catch up fast: Jackson Lee and Whitmire emerged as the top two candidates among a large field during the Nov. 7 general election after neither garnered more than 50% of the vote, which is required to win office in Houston.
- Saturday's winner will replace Mayor Sylvester Turner, who has served his limit of two four-year terms.
Why it matters: Voter turnout in runoff elections is typically lower.
- Only 17.5% of the county's registered voters turned out Nov. 7, and even fewer are expected in Saturday's runoff.
The latest: Whitmire and Jackson Lee sparred over how to address public safety at the most recent and final debate this week, which was hosted by the Houston Chronicle and ABC13.
What they're saying: At one point, Whitmire said he wanted to use Metropolitan Transit Authority's resources to bolster Houston police.
- "Metro, 280 officers, ought to be working with HPD," Whitmire said, per the Chronicle. "We don't need to take their money, although their money will follow them when they work in concert with HPD."
- "I'm still trying to find out, senator, what your specific plan is," Jackson Lee said in response. "It's very clear that Metro is going to be a cash cow, is that correct? You're going to raid Metro so that you can say you're doing something about crime?"
- Whitmire denied wanting to use Metro's budget for city purposes.
Meanwhile, there are several other races to watch, including city controller and several City Council seats.
- Those include at-large City Council positions 1 through 4 and Districts D, G and H.
Here's what you need to know about Saturday's election:
- Polls open at 7am and close at 7pm.
- Early voting results will be released as polls close at 7pm, giving Houston its first glimpse at partial results.
- Here's where to find your nearest polling place, and here's a full sample ballot.
- Metro is also offering free rides to and from the polls.
The bottom line: If you're registered, go vote.