After former Houton City Council member Abbie Kamin vacated her seat in early 2026 to run for Harris County attorney, seven candidates stepped up to replace her as District C representative.
Geographically, District C includes portions of the Heights, Washington Avenue, Montrose, Rice Village and Meyerland.
Candidates had from Dec. 1 to Feb. 2 to file an application with the city of Houston. A drawing for the ballot order was conducted at City Hall on Feb. 3.
The special election will be held April 4. The winner of the race will serve on City Council until January 2028.
Candidates were asked to keep responses within 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot.
Why are you running for office?
I’m running because District C deserves experienced, accountable leadership focused on results. After years of serving more than five million residents in the third-largest county in the United States, I’m ready to bring that experience to City Hall to strengthen services, improve safety and deliver measurable progress for every neighborhood.
How will you improve city services in District C?
Residents should never struggle to receive basic services. I will serve full-time, prioritize responsiveness and demand accountability across departments. That means faster response times, prompt street and sidewalk repairs, improved drainage reliability, streamlined permitting and efficiency, transparent handling of 311 requests throughout District C.
What are your priorities for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and public transportation improvements in the district?
Everyone deserves to feel safe walking, biking or taking transit. I support safer intersections, protected bike lanes and better sidewalks, especially near schools and transit stops. Improving intersections with more lights and stop signs are essential. Better lighting and visibility will reduce accidents, improve traffic, and strengthen mobility.
How do you plan to work with the mayor and other council members on citywide issues like infrastructure, budget shortfalls and public safety?
I bring executive experience managing complex local government operations. I will work with the mayor and council to prioritize responsible budgeting and focus on long-term infrastructure planning. Public safety and infrastructure require someone who has the proven ability to bring solutions that put residents first.
District C includes diverse communities—how will you ensure your policies represent all residents?
District C’s diversity is its strength. From Montrose to Meyerland, every neighborhood has unique priorities, and we all care deeply about where we live. I will maintain a visible presence through town halls and direct engagement to ensure policies reflect all residents, homeowners, renters, businesses and families, serving effectively from day one.
What are your top three priorities for District C between now and January 2028?
1. Strengthen infrastructure and drainage reliability, protect funding and coordinate with Harris County Flood Control. 2. Improve neighborhood public safety and responsiveness. 3. Expand safe, accessible mobility with safer crossings, bike access and walkable routes to schools. My goal is measurable progress residents see in safer streets and stronger services.
Why are you running for District C?
District C deserves leadership that can meet the city’s challenges without feeding existing dysfunction. I want underrepresented communities represented when decisions are made, and I understand both policy and the narratives that shape whether legislation actually passes. Our politics are producing the same results: a fortress around city hall without input …
How will you improve city services in District C?
I’ve spoken with businesses whose trash needs exceed a typical home. When residents can’t rely on dependable service—let alone business needs—quality of life suffers. We’re seeing illegal dumping, trash build up, pot holes. Most issues start with budgeting aligned to outcomes: fund core services, prevent misallocation, and restore basic reliability.
What are your priorities for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and public transportation improvements in the district?
District C has some of the most trafficked areas in Houston, so ensuring safer intersections, protected bike lanes, and reliable public transit corridors are top priorities for having a safer district. That means increasing pedestrian safety with lighting, crosswalk visibility, and calming traffic. Transportation planning should reduce accidents …
How do you plan to work with the mayor and other council members on citywide issues like infrastructure, budget shortfalls and public safety?
You have to find common ground and frame an issue as a shared goal, while rooting strategy in long-term outcomes for all involved. That’s a skill that I bring to the table. The budget shortfall affects every member of City Hall, including the Mayor. I’ll work to close the gap …
District C includes diverse communities—how will you ensure your policies represent all residents?
District C is diverse, and real representation means prioritizing those hit hardest while building structural change that improves outcomes long term. At the same time, everyday quality of life issues can’t be ignored. I will stay in active conversation with residents and pursue a tailored approach for each community.
What are your top three priorities for District C between now and January 2028?
Life at Jackson Square and ensuring the residents at the complex are now rehoused and properly cared for in the interim. Immediate infrastructure work on roads that can’t be neglected, while bringing planning and expertise to address subsidence. I’d work to restore the rainbow crosswalk and begin a serious strategy …
Why are you running for office?
I want to tackle city problems by studying issues Houstonians face and prioritizing data-driven policy solutions to make our city easier to live in. I have children growing up in District C, and want to make sure it is safe, affordable, healthy, and a place in which they can thrive.
How will you improve city services in District C?
City services should be responsive to constituent needs. Our team will collect data and triage chronic issues across District C so that we can invest district funds to mitigate and alleviate their impacts. I’ll also work to build HOT teams ready to tackle acute issues that may arise suddenly.
What are your priorities for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and public transportation improvements in the district?
Houstonians should not fear walking, cycling, and driving across our city. We must coordinate priority street safety infrastructure projects within the High Injury Network with local TIRZ boards, the county, TxDOT, and city departments. Public transportation in our city must also be reliable, responding to data derived from ridership trends.
How do you plan to work with the mayor and other council members on citywide issues like infrastructure, budget shortfalls and public safety?
Nothing can be done alone, which is why I intend to build coalitions among city council members and public interest groups in order to find common ground on citywide issues and policy solutions. I also intend to find shared priorities with our mayor in order to get things done.
District C includes diverse communities—how will you ensure your policies represent all residents?
Our office will build bridges. I aspire to be the people’s city council member—joining them where they are across the district and city in order to hear from residents from all walks of life about the vision they have for Houston and the issues they’re facing daily.
What are your top three priorities for District C between now and January 2028?
I’m a mom chasing my kids on the sidewalks as they bike, fighting for street safety. I’m a lifelong Houstonian, having lived through numerous hurricanes, vowing to prioritize flooding infrastructure and stormwater detention. And, I’m a proud child of immigrants, fighting to end ICE abuses in our city.
Why are you running for office?
I am at City Council often and have generational ties to the District. To give financial oversight to the City, TIRZ, Houston First, Houston Housing Authority. Use my training in seeing structural inequity and dialoguing constructively on polarizing topics. To advocate for community-driven solutions.
How will you improve city services in District C?
City Council will be my full-time and only job. I’m highly trained in listening, connecting people to resources and empowering them to organize for solutions they need. I’ve blockwalked all of the District, seen and heard the issues from the people most impacted.
What are your priorities for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and public transportation improvements in the district?
I use all modes of transportation, and I want them to be as normalized across the district as they are where I live near 11th and Nicholson Trail. I support and advocate alongside LinkHouston for frequent and reliable transit. Sidewalks throughout District C need repair.
How do you plan to work with the mayor and other council members on citywide issues like infrastructure, budget shortfalls and public safety?
I’ve observed Council many times; I see how they work. 40 years facilitating meeting-of-the-minds with powerful clients, IRS auditors, attorneys, and subject-matter experts, 10 years of dialoguing about racism, 20 years running a small business, I’m able to be firm and build bridges respectfully.
District C includes diverse communities—how will you ensure your policies represent all residents?
I have been listening to Houston’s diverse communities for a decade, both as a grassroots advocate and as a producer of programming at the Center for Healing Racism. My campaign consults with and is led by leaders in immigrant rights, LGBTQ , justice, Native American/environmental, civil rights and youth.
What are your top three priorities for District C between now and January 2028?
1. Constituent services: listen, respond, empower, provide equity. 2. Reimagine safety to prioritize the risks that Houstonians face regularly: flooding/disaster/climate preparedness, basic services, ancient water pipes, democracy. 3. Refocus HPD on solving violent crime and dangerous driving rather than enforcing expired registration or federal immigration.
Why are you running for office?
After January 6th, I joined the Army to defend democracy abroad. Now I’m home to defend it here. Greg Abbott and Donald Trump want to override Houston’s local control. I’ll protect Houston’s values while delivering on infrastructure, public safety, and affordability for the district that raised me.
How will you improve city services in District C?
Improve 311 so residents can track repairs. Create a constituent services office where “we can’t help” isn’t the answer; every problem gets solved or escalated. Direct district funds to clear illegal dumping, drainage trouble spots, and overgrown sidewalks for visible improvements within months. Reduce crime and improve pedestrian safety.
What are your priorities for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and public transportation improvements in the district?
Someone was just killed in a hit-and-run two blocks from my home! Pedestrian safety is a public safety priority. I’ll push for better crosswalks in high-incident areas. Support dedicated bike infrastructure where it connects neighborhoods safely. Advocate for reliable METRO service and transit-oriented development near existing lines.
How do you plan to work with the mayor and other council members on citywide issues like infrastructure, budget shortfalls and public safety?
Build coalitions around shared interests. Infrastructure and public safety cross ideological lines. Ask hard questions on contracts and budgets. Push for transparent conversations about Houston’s fiscal challenges, including a long-term plan for structural balance. Collaborate where possible, push back when the administration shortchanges District C or our values.
District C includes diverse communities—how will you ensure your policies represent all residents?
Hold office hours across the district, not just my neighborhood. Staff my office with people who reflect the community. Track constituent service data by geography to catch disparities. When issues affect communities I don’t belong to, I’ll center their voices and not assume I know best.
What are your top three priorities for District C between now and January 2028?
Public safety: Build safer streets, address illegal dumping, prevent crime. Affordability: Speed up permitting and help make land build-ready. Infrastructure: Create a District C disaster response plan, push for drainage bond funding, improve 311, and deliver responsive constituent services.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for office because District C deserves safe streets, affordable housing, transparent leadership, and outstanding constituent services for all. My experience as a community leader and renewable energy developer equips me to shepherd transformative infrastructure projects through Council, and push safe and just policies for every Houstonian.
How will you improve city services in District C?
No family should worry about missed trash pickup, streets flooding, or their child being hit by a car. I will improve city services like sanitation, water, and infrastructure by looking at the data, proactively connecting with constituents, demanding transparency in reporting, fighting for funding in the budget, and relentless follow-through.
What are your priorities for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and public transportation improvements in the district?
I ran to make our streets safe for everyone. My priorities are ensuring safe crossings at schools and parks; targeting Houston’s High Injury Network with proven safety upgrades; collaborating with TIRZs to accelerate Safe Routes to School programs; and reducing bus wait times to 15 minutes.
How do you plan to work with the mayor and other council members on citywide issues like infrastructure, budget shortfalls and public safety?
I will use my experience as an organizer and developer to build consensus around common sense livability policies like safe streets for our kids and affordable housing. I am also not afraid to stand firm when we need bold, principled leadership, like protecting our neighbors from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
District C includes diverse communities—how will you ensure your policies represent all residents?
To be effective, you must be accountable. I will proactively meet with constituents from every community, holding town halls and door knocking year round. I commit to hiring an experienced, diverse staff. In doing so, we can build a base of deep connection with the diverse communities in District C.
What are your top three priorities for District C between now and January 2028?
1. Establishing excellent and responsive constituent services. If anyone reaches out to our office, they will receive a thorough response and the support they need. 2. Build more consensus at Council for street safety projects through data and compassionate storytelling 3. Passing an ordinance with my colleagues to protect Houstonians from ICE overreach.
Why are you running for office?
The passion for problem-solving, with two decades of helping people at City Hall and the Legislature. As a full-time council member, I will focus on solving problems and listening to neighbors in every part of District C. I want to help people fix the everyday issues that affect their lives.
How will you improve city services in District C?
I will work to responsibly invest infrastructure dollars in projects we need and work with all parties to advance practical solutions for District C. I will work to close nuisance bars, champion drainage projects to prevent flooding and hold apartment complexes accountable for how they treat their residents.
What are your priorities for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and public transportation improvements in the district?
We need all modes of transportation—walking, biking and riding—and all must work together for our city to function. Safety must be a priority. As the former interim director of BikeHouston, I am uniquely aware of the dangers bikers face. Building our streets for all to share is key.
How do you plan to work with the mayor and other council members on citywide issues like infrastructure, budget shortfalls and public safety?
We all want the same things. I will collaborate with the mayor and my fellow council members, several of whom have endorsed me. I will propose ideas for managing the budget, using the $16 million from the Drainage Fee this fiscal year, building Houston stronger and better.
District C includes diverse communities—how will you ensure your policies represent all residents?
I will be a full-time council member, visiting civic clubs and neighborhood organizations every night, present everywhere in the district. I will be listening to people tell me what matters to them. My office will be open to all. I will govern from the bottom up, not top down.
What are your top three priorities for District C between now and January 2028?
Constituent services—Listening to residents, their concerns and their issues and I will take what they want back to City Hall for action. Strengthen public safety and support first responders. Infrastructure—Fix streets, invest in drainage and flood prevention, repair leaking water lines, prioritize garbage pickup and illegal dumping removal.