TEXAS

MAYOR: HOUSTON

- Non-partisan general election.
- Mayor Bill White was easily re-elected, his popularity soaring after the city absorbed refugees from Hurricane Katrina and took strong measures to protect residents from Hurricane Rita.


CANDIDATES

Democratic incumbent Winner: Bill White, 51, is the current mayor of Houston, starting his term Jan. 2, 2004. In the 2003 election, White won nearly 63 percent of the vote. White was a tort lawyer and partner at the Susman Godfrey law firm. He served as deputy secretary of energy under President Clinton from 1993 to 1995. He was chairman of the Texas Democratic Party and the president and CEO of WEDGE Group. White is a graduate of Harvard University and University of Texas School of Law. White has raised more than $2.2 million for his campaign. He and his wife, Andrea, are the parents of three teenagers.

Challengers included Gladys Marie House, 50, a business owner and community activist, and perennial mayoral candidates Anthony Dutrow, 61, Luis Ullrich Jr., 55, and Jack Terence. Combined, the three took less than 1 percent of the 2003 mayoral vote.

 Voter Information Guide

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STATE ISSUES

Texas had nine proposed constitutional amendments on its ballot. Drawing much of the attention was Proposition 2, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, which was approved.

 Voter Information Guide