2001 Houston mayoral election

The 2001 Houston mayoral election took place on November 6, 2001. Incumbent Mayor Lee Brown was re-elected to a third term. Officially the race was non-partisan. None of the candidates received a majority of the votes, so a run-off election was held on December 1, 2001.

2001 Houston mayoral election

← 1999 November 6, 2001 (first round) December 1, 2001 (runoff) 2003 →
Turnout	28.65% (first round) 31.28% (runoff)
Candidate Lee P. Brown Orlando Sanchez Chris Bell Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan First round 125,282 43.46% 115,967 40.23% 45,739 15.87% Runoff 165,866 51.67% 155,164 48.33% Eliminated
Mayor of Houston before election Lee P. Brown Elected Mayor of Houston Lee P. Brown

Background

Lee P. Brown was elected mayor of Houston, the first black person to do so, in 1997, and was reelected in 1999. Brown announced that he would seek reelection to a third term, the maximum allowed due to term limits, on August 26, 2001.^[1]

Campaign

• Chris Bell, member of the Houston City Council^[2] (Democratic)
• Lee P. Brown, Mayor of Houston^[1] (Democratic)
• Larry DeVoy, electrician^[3]
• Anthony Dutrow, Socialist Workers Party candidate in Utah's 3rd congressional district in 1990 election^[3]
• Orlando Sanchez, member of the Houston City Council^[2] (Republican)
• Luis Ullrich, plumber^[3]

City controller Sylvia Garcia and city councilor Carroll Robinson considered running.^[4][5]

The mayoral election is formally nonpartisan, but Brown and Chris Bell were aligned with the Democratic Party while Orlando Sanchez was aligned with the Republican Party.^[6] A forum was held at Kingwood College on October 2,^[7] and televised debate was hosted on October 10.^[8]

Brown was accused of causing the death of a fire captain due to the city's policy of three people per fire truck rather than the standard four. Brown proposed a $16 million expansion to the fire department's budget after the incident, but Sanchez attacked it as a "self-serving, despicable and cynical act".^[6] Bell's wife received a fake anthrax letter. Brown and Sanchez also reported receiving suspicious mail.^[9][10]

The Democratic National Committee spent $75,000 to aid Brown and DNC chair Terry McAuliffe campaigned for him. The Republican National Committee donated $15,000 to Sanchez's campaign. Elaine Chao and Mel Martínez, members of President George W. Bush's cabinet, campaigned for Sanchez. 60% of Hispanic voters supported Sanchez in the initial election.^[11][12]

Endorsements

Lee Brown endorsements

State officials

• Mario Gallegos Jr., member of the Texas Senate from the 6th district^[13]

Local officials

• Chris Bell, member of the Houston City Council and mayoral candidate (runoff)^[14]

Individuals

• Kenneth Lay, CEO of Enron^[15]

Orlando Sanchez endorsements

Federal officials

• George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States^[16]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Lee Brown	Orlando Sanchez	Chris Bell	Other / Undecided
Houston Chronicle KHOU^[17]^[18]	September 5–10; 20–26^[a]	792 RV	±	36%	19%	15%	30%

Results

Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Lee P. Brown	Non-partisan democracy	125,282	43.46	165,866	51.67
	Orlando Sanchez	Non-partisan democracy	115,967	40.23	155,164	48.33
	Chris Bell	Non-partisan democracy	45,739	15.87
	Luis Ullrich	Non-partisan democracy	572	0.20
	Larry DeVoy	Non-partisan democracy	488	0.17
	Anthony Dutrow	Non-partisan democracy	235	0.08
Total			288,283	100.00	321,030	100.00
Valid votes			288,283	100.00	321,030	100.00
Invalid votes			0	0.00	0	0.00
Blank votes			0	0.00	0	0.00
Total votes			288,283	100.00	321,030	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			1,006,301	28.65	1,026,404	31.28
Source: ^[19]^[20]^[21]^[22]

References

1. "Houston's mayor will run again". The Victoria Advocate. August 27, 2001. p. 2A. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Houston Looking To Make Internet Accessible To All". Tyler Morning Telegraph. August 21, 2001. p. 3. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Mayoral candidates". Houston Chronicle. October 28, 2001.
4. "Bell launches mayoral bid". Houston Chronicle. February 11, 2001.
5. "Robinson reconsiders mayoral race". Houston Chronicle. June 6, 2001.
6. "Houston mayoral race". The Victoria Advocate. October 27, 2001. p. 9A. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Political forum at Kingwood College". Houston Chronicle. October 9, 2001.
8. "Anthrax made news, but economy kept our attention". Austin American-Statesman. October 14, 2001. p. A20. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Houston candidate's wife receives hoax". El Paso Times. November 2, 2001. p. 2A. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Houston candidates receive threatening mail". The Orange Leader. November 2, 2001. p. 7A. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Duggan, Paul (December 1, 2001). "Houston's Democratic Mayor Pulls Ahead Of GOP Challenger in Incomplete Vote Count". The Washington Post. from the original on February 23, 2024.
12. Duggan, Paul (December 2, 2001). "Houston Reelects Mayor in Close Race". The Washington Post. from the original on February 23, 2024.
13. "Sanchez to toss hat in the ring for mayor". Houston Chronicle. April 22, 2001.
14. "Former candidate backs incumbent mayor". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. November 16, 2001. p. 5B. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Runoff would mark new era in Houston politics". Houston Chronicle. November 6, 2001.
16. "Mayor hopeful gets elder Bush support". Waco Tribune-Herald. November 21, 2001. p. 6D. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Houston mayor bids for 3rd term". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 27, 2001. p. 5B. from the original on February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Brown leading in mayor's race". Houston Chronicle. September 30, 2001.
19. Results 2001, p. 1.
20. Results 2001, p. 4.
21. Runoff 2001, p. 1.
22. Results 2001, p. 2.

Notes

1. Polling was suspended due to the September 11 attacks

Works cited

• City of Houston General Election Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery Counties Combined November 6, 2001 (PDF). Houston. 2001.

• City of Houston General Election Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery Counties Combined December 1, 2001 (PDF). Houston. 2001.