Lucio Vasquez/Houston Public Media
Pictured are Mayor John Whitmire and Houston City Council members at City Hall.
Based on early voting results reported Saturday evening, Joe Panzarella and Nick Hellyar were in position to make a runoff in a special election to fill the District C seat on the Houston City Council.
Panzarella and Hellyar led the seven-candidate field with about 32% and 24% of the early vote, respectively. Audrey Nath was in third place with about 19% of the early vote.
Election Day polls closed at 7 p.m. Saturday, and those votes were being tallied by the Harris County Clerk’s Office.
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Panzarella campaign
Pictured is Joe Panzarella, a candidate for the Houston City Council.
Panzarella, a community organizer and renewable energy developer, would be a newcomer to City Hall. He’s running on a progressive platform focused on dangerous streets, a lack of affordability and climate change.
A former city council staffer, Hellyar was the only candidate with experience at City Hall. The real estate business owner focused on improving city services and emphasized his municipal finance savvy. He previously fell short in bids for an at-large seat on the city council in 2019 and 2023.
Hellyar campaign
Pictured is Nick Hellyar, a candidate for the Houston City Council.
Nath, a pediatric neurologist, ran a progressive campaign emphasizing safe streets and climate change. She previously ran for a trustee position on the Houston ISD board, falling to incumbent Bridget Wade in November 2025.
They’re running to represent the Heights, Montrose and Meyerland areas. The position is currently held by Abbie Kamin, who triggered the state’s resign-to-run law when she announced a bid for Harris County Attorney.
The field also includes Patrick Oathout, who brought in about 13% of the early vote; and Angelica Luna Kaufman, who earned about 6%.
Oathout, a U.S. Army veteran now working on artificial intelligence safety, ran as a progressive focused on pedestrian safety and affordability. He also emphasized his personal background as a gay man growing up in Texas and leading a tank platoon near the Poland-Russia border.
Kaufman served in Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s office since 2024 as chief communications officer and chief of staff. She focused on basic government services, like flood prevention.
Retired accountant Laura Gallier garnered about 5% of the early vote, while teacher Sophia Campos earned 2%.
RELATED: Meet the left-leaning candidates in the Houston City Council special election for District C
Nath led the pack in fundraising from December through the final reporting period in March, pulling in nearly $170,000 — including $30,000 from herself. Hellyar trailed with about $113,000; followed by Panzarella, who raised about $85,000; Oathout, who brought in about $83,000; and Kaufman with about $59,000.
As of the last campaign finance report filed on March 27, Panzarella had about $13,000 in his campaign coffers, while Hellyar’s campaign chest held about $47,000.
About 5,400 people cast ballots during early voting, and just over 1,000 voters mailed in their ballots. There were 2,947 in-person ballots cast on Election Day, according to the county clerk.
A spokesperson for the county clerk’s office said the city had not yet provided a date for the runoff. The city secretary said the runoff is “potentially” slated for Saturday, May 16 — less than two weeks before the state’s primary runoffs.
For some residents of District C — which overlaps with the 18th Congressional District — the election on Saturday marked their fourth in five months. The CD-18 and District C runoffs will bring their fifth and sixth elections in just over half a year.