Turnout extremely light

Mayor Annise Parker barely avoids runoff to win second term in lacklusterelection

Mayor Annise Parker won a second two-year term Tuesday night, but her victory was less than impressive.

Against token opposition, Parker barely avoided a runoff. With all votes counted, the incumbent mayor garnered 50.8 percent of the vote over five underfunded and little-known challengers despite spending more than $2.3 million. Her precedessor, Bill White, won 86 percent of the vote in his last race for mayor in 2007.

With all votes counted, Parker garnered 50.8 percent of the vote over five underfunded and little-known challengers despite spending more than $2.3 million.

Parker actually received fewer than 50 percent of the votes cast on Election Day but she rolled up greater tallies in early voting and absentee ballots cast.

The turnout was extremely light, as just over 13 percent of registered voters went to the polls in the mayor's race.

At a rally at Union Station at Minute Maid Park, Parker touted her victory, telling supporters, "I want to thank the voters for giving me two more years in a job that I love. I'm still excited to go to work every day."

In a hotly contested city council race, incumbent at-large member Jolanda Jones is headed for a Dec. 10 runoff against challenger Jack Christie, whom she barely defeated two years ago. Jones led with nearly 39 percent of the vote; Christie ran second with nearly 33 percent.

In District A, incumbent Brenda Stardig, with 41 percent of the vote, trailed challenger Helena Brown, who took 47 percent. They also will meet in the Dec. 10 runoff.

Other incumbent council members fared better, as Wanda Adams, Mike Sullivan, Al Hoang, Oliver Pennington, Ed Gonzalez, James Rodriguez, Stephen Costello, Melissa Noriega and C.O. Bradford were reelected.

In districts without an incumbent, former state representative Ellen Cohen was elected to represent District C (or as some CultureMappers call it, the "Hipstrict"), Mike Laster will represent the newly formed District J and Larry Green is the new council member for the new District K.

Other runoff races are in At-Large Position 2, where Andrew Burks and Kristi Thibaut will face off, and in District B, where voters will chose between Alvin Byrd and Jerry Davis. Neither race had an incumbent.

City Controller Ronald Green was unopposed.

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This Week's Hot Headlines

New Memorial City development leads Houston's top 5 stories this week

Courtesy of Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

Greenside will feature a one-acre greenspace.

Editor's note:It's time to recap the top stories on CultureMap from this past week. The top Houston news includes a family-friendly Memorial City development, a Montrose pizzeria closure, and a stylish new lounge for Upper Kirby. Get the details below, and find fun stuff do in town this weekend here.

1. New development with 1-acre green space coming to Memorial City area. The rapidly growing area will soon be home to Greenside, boasting a mix of restaurant, retail, and other family-friendly businesses, designed by the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.

2. Creative Montrose pizzeria will shutter after only a year-and-a-half. ElRo Pizza & Crudo will close at the end of the year, due to a steady decline in business.

3. Stylish new lounge shakes up Houston with art-inspired drinks and caviar. Cheers to this new nightlife spot, which is now open in Upper Kirby.

Sante cocktail lounge Sante's Garden Room is decorated with two olive trees. Photo by Chris Furia

4. These are the 6 most affordable ZIP codes for Houston renters. One of these ZIPs is also among the 10 most affordable in the U.S.

5. 15 Houston restaurants crafting nostalgic and decadent ice cream sundaes. The classic ice cream sundae is having a moment, and these restaurants are serving up decadent versions.