We're not sure what's more unusual about our current mayoral election, the diverse candidates (we keep waiting for the "a black guy, a lesbian and a rich white guy walk into a bar..." jokes) or the fact that a race so tight has been so tame thus far. The New York Timesoffered its second analysis on the race, once again with an ever-so-slight measure of surprise that we Houstonians haven't run Annise Parker out of town for her sexuality and don't seem to mind that Gene Locke was a militant black student leader several decades ago. With the race so tight (Peter Brown holds a lead over Parker with Locke in third and the largest percentage of voters still undecided, according to the most recent polling), it's unlikely any candidate will receive a majority of votes, in which case the top two vote-getters will compete in a run-off in December. Election day is Tuesday, November 3, and this site has a great list of voting stations by zip code.
R.I.P., Mayor Turner
How to pay respects as late Houston mayor Sylvester Turner lies in state
The City of Houston is remembering the late Sylvester Turner - the former mayor of Houston who won election last November to fill late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's seat in District 18.
He died Wednesday, March 5 at 70 years old.
Turner was in attendance at President Donald Trump's Joint Address to Congress last week. According to his family, he was taken to the hospital Tuesday night and later released while in Washington, D.C. At 5:45 am Wednesday, he died at home from enduring health complications, the family said.
Turner will lie in state at the Houston City Hall rotunda on Tuesday, March 11. The memorial began at 9 am with brief remarks from Mayor John Whitmire. The rotunda will be open to visitors until 7 pm Tuesday.
Members of the public are invited to sign the book of condolence at the entrance to City Hall. Visitors are asked not to stop in the rotunda to talk, take photographs, or video so that the line continues to move without delay.
After he's honored in Houston, Turner will "lie in honor" at the State Capitol in Austin on Thursday and Friday.
Then, he'll return to his hometown for the last time for his funeral on Saturday at 1 pm at The Church Without Walls on Houston's northwest side, where Turner attended church for 35 years.
Turner's family is asking guests attending the service to wear blue.
A private burial will follow.
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Read the full story, with video, on CultureMap's news partner, ABC13.com.