Tag Archives: Harris County

The Fifth Circuit keeps on doing its thing

Posted on June 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Item one: Texas’ app age verification law allowed to go into effect for now. Texas’ law requiring app marketplace operators like Google and Apple to verify all users’ ages and seek parental permission before minors can download apps or make … Continue reading →

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Some early thoughts about the 2026 primary runoffs

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

A few of my thoughts and a few from other people… – There were 114,059 votes cast in the Democratic runoff in Harris County, with 552,678 in the Lite Guv race. (There’s no way I can see to get the … Continue reading →

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Primary runoff results: Local

Posted on May 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As of a little after 10 PM when I draft this, I have no idea who will win the Democratic runoff for Harris County Judge. Letitia Plummer had a lead of 0.36%, which is to say 247 votes, with early … Continue reading →

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Today is Runoff Day for the 2026 primaries

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m basically going to rerun my post from the start of early voting, because it’s the same information with the main difference being that there are more vote centers. Turnout during early voting was pretty good in context, with more … Continue reading →

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On dealing with hotter summers

Posted on May 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From Inside Climate News, a report on how summers are expected to be hotter soon, and what we can do about it. Temperatures can vary across big cities like New York and Houston, depending on the landscape and the amount … Continue reading →

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Final EV totals for the 2026 primary runoffs

Posted on May 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron: The state’s red-hot Republican primary battles have ignited higher-than-usual voter turnout. Going into Friday, the last day of in-person early voting ahead of Tuesday’s runoff elections, almost 800,000 people had voted in the Democratic and Republican primary … Continue reading →

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I sure hope everyone has gotten the message about Maureen Galindo

Posted on May 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the last day of early voting, and so here’s one more opportunity to condemn our worst candidate on the runoff ballot. The Bexar County Democratic Party on Wednesday joined other political organizations in denouncing the rhetoric of Democratic … Continue reading →

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New judicial vacancy

Posted on May 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I think this will mean another race on the ballot this November. A Republican judge over a state criminal court is stepping down from his Harris County bench for private practice, the elected official said Wednesday. Aaron Burdette submitted his … Continue reading →

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2026 primary runoff EV report, Day One

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to cut to the chase here, as there’s only five days of early voting and my next update will be after Day Five. Here are the Day One totals for the May 2026 runoffs: Party Mail Early … Continue reading →

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Early voting for the primary runoffs starts today

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t gotten a press release about this from the County Clerk, but they’ve had their hands full and I think by now we know the basics. What you need to know is that the voting center locations are here, … Continue reading →

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Panzarella defeats Hellyar in District C runoff

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story, which was still preliminary as I drafted this at 10 PM. Panzarella was over 60% in early voting, and had stretched that to 64% after the first seven of 20 vote centers were tabulated. I have … Continue reading →

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Today is Runoff Day for District C

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Houston voters in District C have one final opportunity to make their voices heard. The Special Runoff Election to fill the vacant District C City Council seat takes place tomorrow, May 16, deciding who will serve the … Continue reading →

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UH/Hobby poll: Parker 54, Plummer 36

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

More primary runoff polling. Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker holds an 18-point lead over Letitia Plummer, a former Houston City Council member, in the Democratic runoff for Harris County judge, according to a poll published Thursday by the University of … Continue reading →

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More on the Carla Wyatt DUI

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

More details emerge. Harris County Treasurer Carla Wyatt told a Texas City police officer she was “in heaven” before she was arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated early Saturday morning, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the … Continue reading →

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Today is the last day of early voting for the District C runoff

Posted on May 12, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Runoff Day itself will be Saturday, May 16. Voting locations for both today’s early voting and Saturday’s Runoff Day voting can be found here. For what it’s worth, early voting turnout through the end of the day … Continue reading →

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Carla Wyatt arrested again

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is getting to be more than just sad. Harris County Treasurer Carla Wyatt was arrested Saturday in Texas City and charged with driving while intoxicated, her third arrest during her time in office, authorities say. Wyatt, 56, was stopped … Continue reading →

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Harris County is still where the Texans and the Rodeo want to be

Posted on May 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I never really thought that other places were a live possibility, and now that has been confirmed. Team owner Cal McNair said the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo have decided to make things work in Harris … Continue reading →

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Today is Election Day for the SD04 special election

Posted on May 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Election Day for the May 2, 2026, Special Election to fill the vacancy in Texas Senate District 4 is tomorrow. The district includes all of Chambers County and portions of Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Montgomery counties. There … Continue reading →

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Early voting for the May 16 District C runoff starts today

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

It’s now time for Election #2 of 3 in the month of May. This one is the runoff for Houston City Council District C, between Joe Panzarella, who led with about 33% of the vote in April, and Nick Hellyar, … Continue reading →

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Plaintiffs win other Addicks and Barker lawsuit

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Once again I say, it’s hard to keep track of these things. A federal judge vindicated Houston homeowners who have argued for years that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to open Addicks and Barker dam gates during Hurricane … Continue reading →

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Interview with Alex Maldonado

Posted on April 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I promised you two interviews for Harris County District Clerk, and today we have the second of them. Alex Maldonado is a high school math and statistics teacher in Clear Creek ISD. Maldonado got an associate’s degree when he graduated … Continue reading →

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A brief look at the runoffs

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The Lite Guv runoff is the highest profile statewide race on the ballot in May for Democrats. After busting through turnout expectations for the party primaries, can Texas Democrats keep up that momentum for May’s runoff elections? Beyond that, will voters turn … Continue reading →

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Interview with Darrell Jordan

Posted on April 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The main runoff of interest in the Democratic primary is for District Clerk, which is an open seat as incumbent Clerk Marilyn Burgess is not running for a third term. There was a big field in March, so I decided … Continue reading →

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Charges remain against Mark Aguirre

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

We really need to get this case to trial already. A former Houston police captain accused of attacking an AC repairman he thought was participating in an election conspiracy lost his latest bid to have assault charges against him thrown … Continue reading →

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Kamin appointed as Harris County Attorney

Posted on April 17, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Beginning in June. Harris County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 Thursday to appoint Houston City Council Member Abbie Kamin as county attorney. Kamin will be the third county attorney to lead the office in less than a year. U.S. Rep Christian … Continue reading →

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Court blocks changes to Historically Underutilized Business Program

Posted on April 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Travis County district court judge granted a request for a temporary injunction to block the latest rule changes to the state’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program. The injunction reverts HUB program back to its original regulations, but the … Continue reading →

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Astrodome to be considered for National Historic Landmark status

Posted on April 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. It’s hard to believe that the Astrodome, which became the world’s first domed sports stadium when it opened on April 9, 1965, doesn’t already have National Historic Landmark status. Often nicknamed the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World,’ the Astrodome is now one … Continue reading →

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A brief history of May regular elections in Harris County

Posted on April 11, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, there is a special election on May 2 in SD04, which happens to be the uniform election date in May for 2026. We are not accustomed to voting in May in Harris County, especially not in even-numbered … Continue reading →

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Harris County files amicus brief in lawsuit over the Historically Underutilized Business Program

Posted on April 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County filed an amicus brief supporting plaintiffs in Ipsum General Contractors, LLC, et al. v. Kelly Hancock, et al., urging the court to restore the State of Texas’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program and halt recent … Continue reading →

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Grand jury no-bills Carla Wyatt

Posted on April 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Okay then. A grand jury on Wednesday declined to indict Harris County’s elected treasurer, Carla Wyatt, on a burglary of a vehicle charge, court records show. The decision followed the prosecution’s decision to skip a public hearing over the merits of Wyatt’s … Continue reading →

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Schools in flood zones

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t good. Nearly 400 Harris County schools could move to higher-risk flood zones, according to new maps released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The new maps dramatically expand Harris County’s 100-year and 500-year floodplains, moving hundreds of schools and other … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court declines to pursue RodeoGate

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Our long countywide nightmare is over. Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s call for Judge Lina Hidalgo’s resignation failed to pass Tuesday after commissioners voted 2-1 to strip a reference to her March 10 expulsion from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from a resolution. … Continue reading →

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Wyatt case goes to grand jury

Posted on March 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. The criminal case against Harris County’s elected treasurer, Carla Wyatt, will go before a grand jury following the repeated postponement of a hearing aimed at deciding whether her burglary of a vehicle charge should proceed, according to court records. … Continue reading →

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Harris County criminal case backlog cleared

Posted on March 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Great news. After months of declining criminal caseloads in Harris County courts, prosecutors on Tuesday declared victory in clearing out a crippling backlog of felony cases caused by Hurricane Harvey and exacerbated by the pandemic. “The backlog is not numbers,” District … Continue reading →

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