Today's Brew previews Houston’s Nov. 5 mayoral election + judicial,
local, and ballot measure elections in Pennsylvania
Today's Brew previews Houston’s Nov. 5 mayoral election +
judicial, local, and ballot measure elections in Pennsylvania
 
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Welcome to the Tuesday, October 29, Brew. Here’s what’s in store
for you as you start your day:
* Twelve candidates running for Houston mayor 
* Pennsylvania voters to decide six statewide judges, one
constitutional amendment, in addition to local races
* 43% of Brew readers surveyed have participated in a school board
meeting
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Twelve candidates running for Houston mayor 
Today is game 6 of the World Series in Houston. Today, our preview of
key Nov. 5 elections focuses on the mayoral race in Houston—the
fourth-largest city in the U.S. The 2013 census estimated that
Houston’s population was 2.2 million with a city budget of $5.1
billion as of the 2017 fiscal year. According to the Legislative
Budget Board, Texas’ state budget during the 2017 fiscal year was
$209.4 billion. 
Voters will decide among 12 candidates for mayor—including incumbent
Sylvester Turner—in the city’s general election. In addition, all
16 seats on the city council and the city controller. If no candidate
receives more than 50% of the vote Nov. 5, the top two finishers will
advance to a runoff election on December 14.
Policy debates have centered on Turner's record during his first term,
especially regarding the city's budget and spending priorities. Turner
has said his accomplishments in office include balancing the city's
budget, leading the recovery effort after Hurricane Harvey, reforming
the city’s pension system, improving infrastructure, and
strengthening the economy. His opponents have criticized him, saying
he has not done enough to combat flooding, crime, and infrastructure
deterioration.
Local media outlets have identified five major challengers to
Turner—Kendall Baker, Dwight Boykins, Tony Buzbee, Bill King, and
Sue Lovell. Baker, Boykins, and Lovell have criticized Turner’s
budgetary opposition to Proposition B, a ballot referendum passed in
2018 requiring equal pay between firefighters and police officers.
Buzbee and King both say corruption is creating inefficiency in
Houston's government.
Houston's mayor serves as the city's chief executive and is
responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law,
appointing departmental directors, and overseeing the city's
day-to-day operations. He or she also presides over the city council
with voting privileges. 
Although municipal elections in Houston are officially nonpartisan,
Mayor Turner is a former Democratic member of the Texas House of
Representatives, Baker ran as a Republican for the Texas House in
2016, Buzbee ran for the Texas House as a Democrat in 2002, and Lovell
was elected as a member of the Democratic National Committee in 2000.
Currently, 62 mayors of the largest 100 cities by population are
affiliated with the Democratic Party, 29 are affiliated with the
Republican Party, four are independents, and five identify as
nonpartisan or unaffiliated. 
Early voting throughout Texas runs from Oct. 21 through Nov. 1. All
registered voters may vote at any early voting location in the county
in which they are registered.
Learn more
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Pennsylvania voters to decide six statewide judges, one constitutional
amendment, in addition to local races
Pennsylvania voters will select six appellate court justices and
decide a statewide constitutional amendment—in addition to local
elections—Nov. 5. 
Four seats on the Pennsylvania Superior Court are up for election with
two current justices facing retention elections and two open seats to
be decided by partisan elections. Two Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
judges are also facing retention elections.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court reviews most of the civil and criminal
cases that are appealed from the courts of common pleas in the state's
67 counties. It consists of 15 judges who are elected to 10-year
terms.  After serving an initial term, judges are then subject to a
retention election. If cases at the superior court are appealed, they
are heard by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
The current partisan composition of the Pennsylvania Superior Court is
eight Republicans and six Democrats, based on official election
results. One seat is vacant. One Republican and one Democratic judge
are running for retention. Justice Paula Ott (R) did not file to run
for re-election. 
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court serves as an appellate court for
cases involving state and local governments or regulatory agencies, or
when the case relates to certain specific subject areas. The court
also has original jurisdiction over all cases involving elections and
when someone files a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
It consists of nine judges who are also elected to 10-year terms and
who must stand for retention after his or her initial term. 
 
The current partisan composition of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth
Court is seven Republicans and two Democrats. Both judges running in
this year’s retention elections are Republicans.
Pennsylvania voters will also decide a legislatively referred
constitutional amendment to add specific rights of crime
victims—together known as Marsy's Law—to the Pennsylvania
Constitution. These provisions have been approved by voters in 12
other states. Voters will also see a variety of local measures,
including one in Pittsburgh to establish a Parks Trust Fund with
revenue from a property tax and two measures in Philadelphia
concerning a bond issue and competitive bidding.
There are also the following local races in Pennsylvania—in addition
to other elections beyond our coverage scope:
*
general elections for five of nine city council seats and the city
controller in Pittsburgh;
*
general elections for mayor, all 17 seats on the city council, all
three seats on the city commission, county sheriff, register of wills,
six trial court judges, and one municipal judge in Philadelphia;
*
retention elections for 11 trial court judges and six municipal judges
in Philadelphia;
*
general elections for 10 of 15 seats on the county council, county
controller, county executive, county district attorney, county
treasurer, and six magisterial district judges in Allegheny County; 
*
General elections for four of nine seats on the Pittsburgh Public
Schools school board.
Pennsylvania voters wishing to cast an absentee ballot must apply by
today—Oct. 29—at 5 p.m. Absentee voting is only allowed under
specific conditions in Pennsylvania. 
Learn more→
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43% of Brew readers surveyed have participated in a school board
meeting
Our last four What’s the Tea? questions asked whether Brew readers
have attended meetings of a school board, local government, or served
on a jury. Last week’s question was slightly different—I asked how
many readers have participated in a school board meeting. Although
I’ve attended several meetings of my local school board, I’ve
never participated during one.
Forty-three percent of respondents said that they had, whether it was
asking a question or sharing an opinion during a part of the meeting
where the board sought input from attendees. 
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