Houston, a city known for its young and diverse population, is on the brink of electing a new mayor in a runoff election. The two candidates, state Sen. John Whitmire and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, are both older individuals, a fact that has sparked frustration among some younger voters who feel disconnected from the candidates. Despite this, both candidates have pledged to include young individuals in their administrations and address issues important to this demographic.
In the initial election, Whitmire led the 18-person field with 42% of the vote, while Jackson Lee placed second with 36%. The winner of the runoff will replace term-limited Mayor Sylvester Turner. Both candidates have discussed their plans to address major challenges facing the city, including crime, infrastructure, affordable housing, and the budget. Whitmire has far outraised and outspent Jackson Lee in the campaign. If elected, Jackson Lee would make history as the first Black woman to serve as Houston's mayor.
The election takes place against the backdrop of new state laws that curb local Democratic control over elections in Harris County. Turnout for runoff elections tends to be relatively low, with about 21% of Houston's registered voters casting ballots in the November election. More than half of Houston voters cast their ballots before Election Day. In the runoff election, almost 135,000 voters in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties had cast ballots by the end of the early voting period.
The mayoral runoff election will be held on Saturday, with polls closing at 7 p.m. CT. The Associated Press will provide coverage for the mayoral runoff election and will declare a winner only when it's determined there is no scenario that would allow the trailing candidate to close the gap. Texas has automatic recounts only in the case of a tie vote.
