The 2009 Houston mayoral election took place on November 3, 2009, to elect the successor to incumbent MayorBill 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.[1] Annise Parker won the run-off.
With the election, Houston became the largest city to elect an openly gay mayor.[2][3]
Candidates
Candidates listed in order of how they appear on the official ballot.[4]
Houston mayoral candidates (from left to right) Gene Locke, Roy Morales, Annise Parker, and Peter Brown at a May 2009 debate.
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.[8]