HOUSTON – It’s a new year, and by the end of 2023, the city of Houston will hold an election for a new mayor.
The current mayor, Sylvester Turner, is term-limited and even though the official deadline to enter the race is still months away, several candidates have announced their intention to run with millions already raised.
The list of candidates who have been announced so far includes:
- Ralph Garcia
Candidates have until August to get on the ballot.
Dr. Michael Adams, chair of the political science department at the Barbara Jordan - Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University, says there’s plenty of time for even more candidates to declare.
“We have an impressive field so far. There may be others who will get into the race that could be considered to be formidable candidates,” he said.
However, which candidate has the capability to go the distance in the campaign season will depend on how well-funded they are, according to Adams.
According to public financial records filed with the city of Houston and the state of Texas, John Whitmire has $9.5 million in cash on hand; Chris Hollins has raised $1.1 million; Lee Kaplan has raised $835,000; Amanda Edwards has raised $789,000; and Robin Williams has $189,000 in contributions.
No fundraising data was available for Garcia, Houjami or Tezino.
“This is one of the most, probably expensive and costliest mayoral campaigns that we’ll see in recent history in Houston, Texas,” Adams said.
The first day to file an application for a place on the ballot is Saturday, July 22, 2023.
The last day to file for a place on the ballot is Monday, August 21, 2023 by 5:00 p.m.
The last day to file a declaration as a write-in candidate is Friday, August 25, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 7, 2023.