The 2009 Houston mayoral election 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. Annise Parker won the run-off.
With the election, Houston became the largest city to elect an openly gay mayor.
Candidates Candidates listed in order of how they appear on the official ballot.
City Councilman Peter Brown Amanda Ulman Luis Ullrich Dan Cupp Education Trustee Roy Morales City Controller Annise Parker Former City Attorney Gene Locke
Results
General election
Runoff results
Endorsements
Polling
Pre-election polling Source Error margin Date Peter Brown (D) Gene Locke (D) Roy Morales (R) Annise Parker (D) Houston Chronicle and Zogby International +/- 4.1% October 18, 2009 23.8% 13.1% 6.7% 19.0% 11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll +/- 4.2% October 27, 2009 24% 14% 5% 16%
Aftermath 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.
See also
2009 Houston elections
References
External links Peter Brown Gene Locke Roy Morales Annise Parker Houston Chronicle special online section Election Information