Early voting starts in less than two months, October 19 in Houston November 2 elections. As of Wednesday morning, 21 candidates had filed for Mayor, Controller and council races. Filing for the ballot began August 2. Many others are expected to file before the September 2 deadline.

Rev. Andrew C. Burks, a US Air Force Vietnam Veteran and builder of the first black owned Houston telephone company, is running for City Council because to him Houston City Council can do better to protect its citizens against violent crime and horrific flooding, encourage minority business building and respecting the taxpayers that pay the all bills.

Dr. Davetta Mills Daniels blessed by her treasurer Rev. William Lawson and mentor NAACP President Emeritus Howard Jefferson faced 100 cheering colleagues, friends and family at Third Ward‘s Gite Art Gallery Tuesday to celebrate joining the race for Houston City Council at Large Pos. 5.

Chaired by attorney Brian Cweren, the group met recently at the museum, consisted of more than 30 local civic leaders, representing a range of different interests committed to expanding awareness of the museum, annihilating hate and opening it as a meeting place.

Ed Gonzalez, an 18-year Houston Police Homicide Sergeant and with his wife Dr. Melissa Gonzalez a north side Houston bakery business owner, won 61 percent of the vote in a special election run-off Saturday, June 13 to succeed Adrian Garcia who resigned his Heights and north side Houston City Council District H seat earlier this year after becoming Harris County Sheriff.

State Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Acres Homes), having run competitive Houston Mayor races in 1991 and 2003 is considering a third try. If Turner enters this fall’s fight for Houston’s top job it whould shake up the CEO contest and impact all the other city races.

Missouri City, a fast growing suburban city estimated to have more African Americans than any other group, hired this spring Joel Fitzgerald as its first African American Police Chief.

With less than six months until elections for Houston Mayor, Controller and City Council; candidates are filing treasurer designations with Houston City Secretary Anna Russell as their first step to run the reins of America’s fourth largest city. The filing deadline is the evening before September 3, which is two months before the November 3 elections.

In this seventh year since the 9-11-01 attacks against America, all area families are invited to the Memorial Day Ceremony “Fort Bend Salutes America” on Monday, may 25, 2009, at Sugar Land Memorial Park, 15300 University Blvd. to honor all those that paid the ultimate price for America’s freedom.

Fort Bend ISD, touting a population that today is 23 percent white, elected Marilyn Glover its only African American school board trustee in Saturday, May 9 elections after its first year in the last 26 years with no African American on the seven member elected school board. “My husband Albert and I have worked tirelessly for more than 16 years throughout all the Fort Bend community at every level to increase quality of life for all the families that call Fort Bend County home,” Glover said while savoring her victory.

Gonzalo Camacho, a licensed Professional Engineer and long time Houston Heights home and business owner and community volunteer armed with University of Texas bachelors and masters degrees, kicked off his campaign for the May 9 special election to succeed Sheriff Adrian Garcia Tuesday night at The Heights Kobain, “Houston’s newest hip bar for multifarious music goers.”

Melissa Noriega, a 27-year Houston ISD educator who served as State Representative as her husband Col. Rick Noriega served in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, kicked off her race for re-election to City Council At Large Tuesday backed by hundreds of friends, family, elected officials and business leaders.

Ronald Green, a third term elected at large Houston City Council Member, business owner, attorney and most important to him, a husband and father, kicked off his campaign to become Houston’s first African American Controller …

Four candidates for Mayor of the City of Houston are competing to powerfully and effectively communicate to Houstonians. They are vying for the votes of more than 1 million registered voters and contributors from beyond the city to get behind them to succeed Mayor Bill White, who after three terms, is banned from running.

Peter Brown, third generation Houstonian and elected two term Houston City Council Member, attracted more than 400 well wishers and cheerleaders to his official kick-off last week plunging in a crowded Houston Mayor race made possible by Houston Mayor Bill White finishing his third and final term.

“I am happily serving in Texas’ 18th congressional district,” Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee said Monday before flying from Houston to Washington but that did not stop reports she was leaving Congress and Houston to work for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Her office spent the next days denying rumors she was quitting Congress.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal dodged a question Friday on whether he would “promise” not to join Republican presidential candidate John McCain as his vice presidential running mate this fall. Jindal refused to rule it out.
“I think it would be presumptuous to turn down something I’ve not been offered,” Jindal said. Jindal confirms that he’s on the vp list. But predicts he will not be picked to be McCain’s running mate.