Mayor Annise Parker breezed to a third term in city elections Tuesday, garnering more than 57 percent of the vote. Her main challenger, former city attorney Ben Hall, conceded the race around 8:30 p.m., an hour and a half after polls closed. Hall trailed with around 28 percent of the vote and challenger Eric Dick took 11 percent. Six other candidates divided the remainder of the vote.
"I love this city," Parker told a cheering crowd of supporters at a victory party at the George R. Brown Convention Center. "Tonight I feel like it loves me back."
"I love this city," Parker told a cheering crowd of supporters at a victory party at the George R. Brown Convention Center. "Tonight I feel like it loves me back."
The mayor reminded the crowd that there will be runoffs in several city council races and it is important to elect officials who will work with her. "The work is going to get much tougher, much harder. I don't believe in lame ducks," she said, acknowledging that this was her last race for mayor as she is limited to three two-year terms. "My election is over but the next two years has just begun."
Among the Houston city council races headed to a runoff are District A, where council member Helena Brown leads former council member Brenda Stardig, is a rematch of a bitter 2011 race. Runoff races will be held on a yet to be determined date in December.
Supporters of efforts to save the Astrodome were in a subdued mood as an initiative to issue $217 million in bonds to refurbish the decaying facility trailed in the voting. More than 53 percent of voters rejected the measure. It appeared to be headed toward passage in polls leading up to the election with little organized opposition.
"Clearly on the issue of the Dome, the voters have rejected the proposal and the proposed bond issue and so Commissioners Court will have to make a decision on where we go from here," County Judge Ed Emmett said.
Known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" when it opened in 1965 as the world's first multi-purpose indoor stadium, the Astrodome is expected to be demolished.
Turnout was slim, with only a little over 18 percent of eligible voters turning out for the mayoral race and even fewer voters for many of the council races.
See the KHOU video of Mayor Parker's speech:
A jubliant Mayor Annise Parker with partner Kathy Hubbard at her side claims victory Tuesday night.
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Photo by Leonid Furmansky