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2023 Election Results Are In

Forward Times is providing you with the results of the November 2023 election Drumroll please……. the November 2023 election concluded last week, and the Forward Times is here with the results of the 2023 City of Houston races and surrounding areas, as well as the outcome of the local propositions and State of Texas Constitutional […]
The post 2023 Election Results Are In first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 months ago

November 15, 2023

Forward Times Staff

Forward Times is providing you with the results of the November 2023 election

Drumroll please……. the November 2023 election concluded last week, and the Forward Times is here with the results of the 2023 City of Houston races and surrounding areas, as well as the outcome of the local propositions and State of Texas Constitutional amendments.

HOUSTON MAYOR RACE

As Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s second and final term concludes at the end of the year due to term-limits: U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (36%) and John Whitmire (43%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election for the open seat to become Houston’s next mayor.

HOUSTON CITY CONTROLLER RACE

As Houston City Controller Chris Brown’s second and final term ends at the end of the year due to term-limits: Chris Hollins (45%) and Orlando Sanchez (27%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election for the open seat to become Houston’s next city controller.

HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL AT-LARGE RACES

Here are the results of the Houston City Council At-Large races:

At-Large, Position 1: Melanie Miles (25%) and Julian Ramirez (25%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election for the open seat to serve on Houston City Council.
At-Large, Position 2: Willie Davis (32%) and Nick Hellyar (23%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election for the open seat to serve on Houston City Council.
At-Large, Position 3: Richard Cantu (22%) and Twila Carter (21%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election for the open seat to serve on Houston City Council.
At-Large, Position 4: Incumbent Council Member Leticia Plummer (48%) and Roy Morales (33%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election to serve on Houston City Council.
At-Large, Position 5: Incumbent Council Member Sallie Alcorn (60%) wins a second term and retains her seat to serve on Houston City Council.

HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT RACES

The results of the City Council District races are:

District A: Incumbent Council Member Amy Peck (100%) was unopposed and wins second term and retains her seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District B: Incumbent Council Member Tarsha Jackson (63%) wins second term and retains her seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District C: Incumbent Council Member Abbie Kamin (73%) wins second term and retains her seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District D: Incumbent Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz (49%) and Travis McGee (17%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election to serve on Houston City Council.
District E: Fred Flickinger (57%) wins open seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District F: Incumbent Council Member Tiffany Thomas (100%) was unopposed and wins second term and retains her seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District G: Incumbent Council Member Mary Nan Huffman (49%) and Tony Buzbee (41%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election to serve on Houston City Council.
District H: Mario Castillo (46%) and Cynthia Reyes Revilla (25%) were the top two vote getters and will face off against each other in the December runoff election for the open seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District I: Joaquin Martinez (59%) wins open seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District J: Incumbent Council Member Edward Pollard (63%) wins second term and retains his seat to serve on Houston City Council.
District K: Incumbent Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum (100%) was unopposed and wins second term and retains her seat to serve on Houston City Council.

LOCAL BALLOT INITIATIVES

Harris County Hospital District, Proposition A: (PASSED | 72%)
City of Houston, Proposition A: (PASSED | 83%)
City of Houston, Proposition B: (PASSED | 65%)

STATEWIDE BALLOT MEASURES

Proposition 1: Voters decided whether Texans will have the right to farm, ranch, and garden on property they own. (PASSED | 79%)
Proposition 2: Voters decided whether cities and counties will be allowed to give property tax breaks to child-care businesses. (PASSED | 65%)
Proposition 3: Voters decided whether to prevent any future lawmakers from imposing a “wealth tax” on Texas residents without voter consent. (PASSED | 68%)
Proposition 4: Voters decided whether to raise the school homestead exemption in Texas and reduce the amount that Texas homeowners will take off the taxable value of their primary residence for school property taxes from $40,000 to $100,000. The proposition will also put a temporary cap on the appraisal growth on residential properties and small businesses that do not have homestead exemptions, such as second homes and rental properties, from year-to-year. Lastly, it will create new elected positions on appraisal boards in Texas counties with a population of 75,000 or more. (PASSED | 83%)
Proposition 5: Voters decided whether to send up to $100 million in interest, dividends, and other investment earnings every year from the state’s rainy-day fund to the Texas University Fund to help support research at state universities. (PASSED | 66%)
Proposition 6: Voters decided whether to approve the creation of the Texas Water Fund, which will receive $1 billion to begin updating pipe systems and developing new water sources. (PASSED | 78%)
Proposition 7: Voters decided whether to authorize the creation of a Texas Energy Fund, which will receive $5 billion to help officials to distribute loans and grants to companies with the aim of building new natural gas-fueled power plants. (PASSED | 65%)
Proposition 8: Voters decided whether to create the Broadband Infrastructure Fund to expand Internet and broadband access across Texas. (PASSED | 69%)
Proposition 9: Voters decided whether to allow $3.3 billion from the general revenue fund to be moved to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas to provide some retired Texas teachers with cost-of-living raises to their monthly pension checks. (PASSED | 84%)
Proposition 10: Voters decided whether to give a property tax break to biomedical companies by exempting the value of any equipment used to manufacture personal protective equipment, pharmaceuticals, or other medical devices. (PASSED | 55%)
Proposition 11: Although it didn’t affect Houston-area voters directly, this proposition asked Texas voters to decide whether to give conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County the power to issue bonds to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities. (PASSED | 63%)
Proposition 12: Although it didn’t affect Houston-area voters directly, this proposition asked Texas voters (in Galveston County only) to decide whether to abolish the office of Galveston County treasurer and instead authorize the Commissioners Court to hire or contract with someone to do the job. (PASSED | 53%)
Proposition 13: Voters decided whether to raise the mandatory retirement age for Texas state judges from 75 years of age to 79. (REJECTED | 63%)
Proposition 14: Voters decided whether to establish a Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which will receive $1 billion to purchase land for new state parks and improve existing state parks. (PASSED | 77%)

Other items on the November ballot that may impact some of you include:

ALDINE ISD BOND ELECTION

Proposition A: New School Buildings and Sites (PASSED | 68%)
Proposition B: District Technology Equipment (PASSED | 65%)
Proposition C: Arts and Events Center (PASSED | 55%)

CITY OF JERSEY VILLAGE BOND ELECTION

Proposition A: $19 million for a pool and parks improvements (REJECTED | 59%)
Proposition B: $15.86 million for water, sewer, and drainage (PASSED | 55%)
Proposition C: $18 million for streets, roads, and bridges (PASSED | 51%)

CLEAR CREEK ISD BOND ELECTION AND TAX RATE RAISE

Propositon A: Tax rate raise to 0.9746 per $100 in property value (PASSED | 59%)
Proposition B: $265 million for school infrastructure and safety (PASSED | 55%)
Proposition C: $37 million for technology equipment and instructional tech (PASSED | 54%)

CONROE ISD BOND ELECTION

Proposition A: $1.82 billion for eight new schools (PASSED | 61%)
Proposition B: $40 million for technology devices (PASSED | 58%)
Proposition C: $112.9 million for PE and ag barn improvements (PASSED | 59%)
Proposition D: $22.9 million for pool revamp/natatorium (REJECTED | 51%)

CROSBY ISD BOND ELECTION

Proposition A: School Facilities (REJECTED | 65%)

FORT BEND COUNTY BOND ELECTION

Proposition A: $712.6 million for mobility (PASSED | 64%)
Proposition B: $153 million for parks (PASSED | 52%)

FORT BEND ISD TAX RATE ELECTION

Proposition A: Raise tax rate to 98.92 cents per $100 in property value (PASSED | 57%)

KATY ISD BOND ELECTION

Proposition A: $723 million for new schools, renovations, security upgrades (PASSED | 59%)
Proposition B: $83.6 million for technology (PASSED | 57%)
Proposition C: $4 million for natatoriums (REJECTED | 54%)
Proposition D: $30 million for athletic facilities (REJECTED | 56%)

LAMAR CISD BOND ELECTION

Proposition A: $15M Traylor Stadium bonds (REJECTED | 55%)

PEARLAND ISD TAX RATE ELECTION

Proposition A: Change tax rate to $1.1373 per $100 in property value (PASSED | 57%)

STAFFORD MSD TAX RATE ELECTION

Proposition A: Change tax rate (PASSED | 56%)

So Forward Times readers, here is a simple, but necessary recap:

Runoff Election Day is Saturday, December 9
Early voting for the runoff will be from Monday, November 27 through Tuesday, December 5
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. except on Sundays, when they’ll be open from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sample ballots for the December runoff election will not be available until November 22
If you didn’t get a chance to vote in the November 7^th general election, you can still vote in the December runoff election.
The last day to receive a ballot by-mail application is November 28.
IMPORTANT: Election Day polling locations may change up until Election Day.
Current Election Day polling location information is available at:
Harris County: harrisvotes.com
Montgomery County: https://elections.mctx.org
Fort Bend County: https://www.fortbendvotes.org

These are the races that will be on the ballot for the December runoff election ballot for the City of Houston:

Mayor
City Controller
Council Member, District D
Council Member, District G
Council Member, District H
Council Member, At-Large Position 1
Council Member, At-Large Position 2
Council Member, At-Large Position 3
Council Member, At-Large Position 4

For any information, such as finding your nearest polling location, sample ballot, and much more, please visit HarrisVotes.com.

The post 2023 Election Results Are In appeared first on Forward Times.

The post 2023 Election Results Are In first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Forward Times Staff

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 month ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 month ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.