Lots of people have clicked on my series of Houston progressive voter's guides published in the week prior to early voting, so if you haven't cast your ballot yet, please do so this week -- EV locations are open 7 to 7 through Friday -- and take it with you to your poll. Neil also has some recommendations (that don't exactly dovetail with mine). Charles has been tracking the vote tallies and turnout is sagging a bit from recent years. When fewer people vote, your vote has greater importance.
My picks appear below in summary if you're short on time. Candidates' names in bold represent the most important races for progressives.
Mayor: Annise Parker, with great reluctance. If you need to more about that, read this. And this posting from Chris Moran has more reasons why. And Neil also has his response to that.
Controller: Ronald Green
At Large #1: Don Cook
At Large #2: Jenifer Rene Pool or Kristi Thibaut, with David Robinson and Roz Shorter as co-third options. There are a handful of people in this ten-person contest who are completely unworthy of your vote.
At Large #3: Melissa Noriega
At Large #4: Amy Price. The best candidate in any race this cycle. Amy has her own blog post today about Harris County election manuals falsely instructing election judges to ask for voters' photo ID. Photo IDs are NOT required to vote until 2012.
At Large #5: Jolanda Jones. And on the strength of Bill White's endorsement of Republican Jack Christie, I recommend (for GOP voters only) Robert Ryan.
District A: Bob Schoellkopf
District B: No endorsement. Miya Shay reported last evening that one of the candidates, Phillip Paul Bryant, declined to answer her questions about his arrest two months ago for driving with a suspended license.
District C: Karen Derr. Here's the reason why I can't support my former state representative Ellen Cohen (but will do so if she is in a runoff with a conservative).
District D: Wanda Adams
District E: No endorsement.
District F: Peter Rene'
District G: No endorsement.
District H: Ed Gonzalez
District I: James Rodriguez
District J: Mike Laster
District K: Larry Green
My picks appear below in summary if you're short on time. Candidates' names in bold represent the most important races for progressives.
Mayor: Annise Parker, with great reluctance. If you need to more about that, read this. And this posting from Chris Moran has more reasons why. And Neil also has his response to that.
Controller: Ronald Green
At Large #1: Don Cook
At Large #2: Jenifer Rene Pool or Kristi Thibaut, with David Robinson and Roz Shorter as co-third options. There are a handful of people in this ten-person contest who are completely unworthy of your vote.
At Large #3: Melissa Noriega
At Large #4: Amy Price. The best candidate in any race this cycle. Amy has her own blog post today about Harris County election manuals falsely instructing election judges to ask for voters' photo ID. Photo IDs are NOT required to vote until 2012.
At Large #5: Jolanda Jones. And on the strength of Bill White's endorsement of Republican Jack Christie, I recommend (for GOP voters only) Robert Ryan.
District A: Bob Schoellkopf
District B: No endorsement. Miya Shay reported last evening that one of the candidates, Phillip Paul Bryant, declined to answer her questions about his arrest two months ago for driving with a suspended license.
District C: Karen Derr. Here's the reason why I can't support my former state representative Ellen Cohen (but will do so if she is in a runoff with a conservative).
District D: Wanda Adams
District E: No endorsement.
District F: Peter Rene'
District G: No endorsement.
District H: Ed Gonzalez
District I: James Rodriguez
District J: Mike Laster
District K: Larry Green
