For the first time since I can remember, maybe since I turned 19, I did not vote today. I apparently never registered to vote in the first place! My only excuse is that I got my new driver’s license last year in Austin, and never really got wrapped up in the mayor’s race, removing the two major reasons I would remember to register.
I tried to get excited about the mayoral election, particularly when my friends and coworkers began talking about the different candidates. Since the election is technically “non-partisan”, it becomes a little bit harder to pick your preferred candidate. Not that that’s a bad thing; on the contrary, I think it’s probably the best situation. It’s so easy to claim to be a member of one political party or another, and end up voting for someone who is pretty much against everything you are for, and vice versa. Party politics is generally about idealogy, while local elections are about how many police officers we have or how well our sewer systems work.
Before I realized that I wouldn’t be voting in this election, I made an attempt to learn about the candidates. I found a quiz on the Fox 26 website purporting to “match” you with the candidate that fits your views best. A candidate matchmaker – riiiight. I don’t think you’d fall in love with any of these candidates:
Question: How would you bring more jobs to the city?
#1 The Socialist Workers campaign puts forth and fights for a massive federally-funded public works program to put millions to work at union-scale wages that can be used to build quality, affordable public housing; schools; public transportation; daycare centers; hospitals, to meet the needs of all working people.
#2 We need to use every tool available to bring more national and international businesses to the city. Houston has all the tools to become the center of the new renewable energy industry. We will pair viable alternative energy ideas with local entities that have the ability to bring those ideas to market and create a forum that allows Houston to showcase new technologies.
#3 Because the downturn in the national and international economy is the biggest problem in retaining and attracting good jobs, I have proposed a Hire Houston First policy that will encourage the city to contract with local businesses that create local jobs. I will offer economic development incentives tied to measurable job creation. Houston is the oil and gas capital of the world, and I will use my 20 years of experience in the energy sector to transform Houston into the renewable energy capital of the world, creating new, good-paying jobs for Houstonians.
#4 To keep Houston’s economy growing and attract new, good-paying jobs to the area we need a to start with clear vision and a commitment to keeping Houston business-friendly. My strategy will help grow existing businesses and attract new companies, top level talent, and new, good-paying jobs to Houston with an Office of Economic Development and Job Creation, tasked with recruiting new business, developing existing companies, and helping start-ups and small businesses thrive.
With the exception of the #1 response (clearly Amanda Ulman, the Socialist Workers Party candidate, who in another answer glowingly referred to Cuba’s response to Hurricane Ike), all of these answers are the boring, pat responses you’d expect from politicians. Admit it – you probably skimmed right over them!
If you voted in the election, I defy you to pick your candidate’s answer from that list. I’ll give anyone who can do it something delicious. Like a Hershey bar.
On an unrelated topic, I got stuck in the horrible traffic omnipresent on Kirby between Plumb and Bissonnet and decided to take some photos. Enjoy.
The Big Easy and the big condo tower
Annise Parker sign
UPDATE: Looks like there’s going to be a runoff … I think that means I still can’t vote. Don’t you have to have voted in the election to vote in th runoff?
UPDATE II: Petrelis Files makes a very interesting point. “To Win, Avoid Gay Inc Help; Houston’s Lesbian Parker Top Vote-Getter?”, noting the loss of Proposition 8 (for gay marriage) in Maine.
Courtney Hoyt 
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