2009 Houston mayoral election

The Houston mayoral election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009, to elect the successor to incumbent Mayor Bill White. White was ineligible for re-election, having served three terms. The race is officially nonpartisan. After no candidate received a majority of the votes, the top two candidates – City Controller Annise Parker and former City Attorney Gene Locke – faced each other in a runoff election on December 12, 2009. On November 11, councilman Peter Brown (who finished third in the first round) publicly endorsed Parker in the Mayor's race.[1] Annise Parker won the run-off.

2009 Houston mayoral election

← 2007 November 3, 2009 (first round)
December 12, 2009 (runoff)
2011 →
 
Candidate Annise Parker Gene Locke Peter Brown
First round 54,193
30.62%
45,954
25.97%
39,904
22.55%
Runoff 81,743
53.60%
70,770
46.40%
Eliminated

 
Candidate Roy Morales
First round 35,925
20.30%
Runoff Eliminated

Mayor before election

Bill White

Elected mayor

Annise Parker

With the election, Houston became the largest city to elect an openly gay mayor.[2][3]

Candidates

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Candidates listed in order of how they appear on the official ballot.[4]

 
Houston mayoral candidates (from left to right) Gene Locke, Roy Morales, Annise Parker, and Peter Brown at a May 2009 debate.
  • City Councilman Peter Brown
  • Amanda Ulman
  • Luis Ullrich
  • Dan Cupp
  • Education Trustee Roy Morales
  • City Controller Annise Parker
  • Former City Attorney Gene Locke

Results

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General election

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2009 Houston mayoral election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Annise Parker 54,193 30.62
Nonpartisan Gene Locke 45,954 25.97
Nonpartisan Peter Brown 39,904 22.55
Nonpartisan Roy Morales 35,925 20.30
Nonpartisan Amanda Ulman 992 0.56
Total votes 176,968 100.00

Runoff results

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2009 Houston mayoral election runoff
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Annise Parker 81,743 53.60%
Nonpartisan Gene Locke 70,770 46.40%
Total votes 152,513 100.00





Endorsements

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Gene Locke
Roy Morales
  • Mayor of Katy Don Elder
  • Former Mayoral Candidate TJ Huntley
  • Former City Councilman Larry McKaskle
  • Former State Representative Martha Wong

Polling

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Pre-election polling

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Source Error margin Date Peter Brown (D) Gene Locke (D) Roy Morales (R) Annise Parker (D)
Houston Chronicle and Zogby International[5] +/- 4.1% October 18, 2009 23.8% 13.1% 6.7% 19.0%
11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll[6][7] +/- 4.2% October 27, 2009 24% 14% 5% 16%

Aftermath

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Parker was re-elected in 2011 and 2013. Locke served as Harris County interim commissioner in 2016, finishing the term of El Franco Lee, who had died unexpectedly in January of that year.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Peter Brown endorses Annise Parker for mayor". Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  2. ^ McKinley Jr., James C. (December 12, 2009). "Houston Is Largest City to Elect Openly Gay Mayor". New York Times.
  3. ^ Ortez, David (December 16, 2009). "Why Annise Parker Won And Gene Locke Lost". Houston Press. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  4. ^ "Harris County Official Sample Ballot - 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2009. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
  5. ^ "Poll: Brown leads Houston Mayor's race". October 17, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  6. ^ "Brown commands big lead in 11 News mayoral poll". Archived from the original on October 29, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
  7. ^ "Houston Mayor's Race". Archived from the original on September 8, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
  8. ^ Banks, Gabrielle (January 22, 2016). "Gene Locke named to fill Commissioner Lee's seat". Houston Chronicle.
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