The district includes portions of northwest Houston.
Early voting is from Oct. 21-Nov. 1.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 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. For more information about voting in Harris County, visit www.harrisvotes.com.
Penny Morales Shaw (incumbent)
Experience:
20-plus year lawyer, human rights advocate and two-term incumbent at the Texas Legislature
Occupation:
Attorney
Candidate Website:
https://www.voteforpenny.com
Contact Information:
512-463-0620
Why are you running for this position, and what qualifies you for the role?
I am running to continue the work that I do as a legislator for the community of northwest Houston and all Texans. I believe that government at every level is to serve the people and our work as legislators should directly reflect the public interest. At minimum, this includes public …
What priorities do you have during your term if elected?
Funding our public schools to keep up with inflation and the growing needs of our students and educators; working on bills that increase energy and water security; supporting growing families with paid parental leave; affordable housing; increasing senior citizen reducing youth incarceration through uniform pre-trial intervention; supporting initiatives that bring …
What are the biggest challenges facing public education, and how would you address them if elected?
Schools have been struggling to provide quality education on a scarcity budget. In the 88th session (2023), the state leadership refused to allocate state funds to help schools keep up with growing demands and record inflation spikes. Program cuts, eliminating bus routes for kids to get to school, reducing special …
How would you promote economic growth and job creation in the district?
Welcoming good corporate partners that have a proven track record of community improvement, responsibility and giving back. Smart incentives, such as the recent tax break made available to businesses that house child care for its employees, which we passed last year. Supporting retraining the workforce so that the Texas workforce can …
How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in the district?
We hold town hall meetings on pressing topics such as water conservation or proposed landfills near neighborhoods; we also regularly attend civic club and other neighborhood meetings to hear what each area is working on and how we can help; and we also learn a lot from going door to …
Kay Smith
Experience:
Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire by press time.
Why are you running for this position, and what qualifies you for the role?
Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire by press time.
What priorities do you have during your term if elected?
Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire by press time.
What are the biggest challenges facing public education, and how would you address them if elected?
Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire by press time.
How would you promote economic growth and job creation in the district?
Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire by press time.
How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in the district?
Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire by press time.
