With votes from all voting centers tallied, unofficial results show Michael Moore emerging victorious in the Democratic primary runoff election for Harris County Precinct 3 commissioner.
Moore finished the night with just under 57% of the vote, or 19,873 total votes, defeating Diana Martinez Alexander, who finished with 43% of the vote, or 15,020 votes.
The last of the unofficial results came in from the Harris County Clerk's Office around 11:49 p.m. on election night, July 14.
"A huge thank you to all who worked so hard to bring this campaign so far," Moore said in an election night statement posted to Twitter. "I want to acknowledge Diane Martinez Alexander as a dedicated public servant and a tough opponent. We’ll be back at work tomorrow on the way to November."
In a Facebook post made late July 14, Martinez Alexander said she will remain committed to speaking up on behalf of the community.
"I want to let all of you know: the race was about all of us," she said. "It would have been nothing without the blood sweat, and tears of an incredible team of volunteers. I am forever grateful."
Moore will move on the face Republican Tom Ramsey in the general election for the Precinct 3 commissioner seat in November.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Updated 10:45 p.m.
With votes in from 76 of 109 voting centers in Harris County, Michael Moore has maintained his lead over Diana Martinez Alexander in the Democratic primary runoff for Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner.
Moore's lead has shrunk slightly from where he stood following the release of early voting results, but he still holds 57.6% of the vote, or 18,568 votes, compared to Martinez Alexander's 13,646 votes.
Neither candidate has declared victory or conceded as of 10:30 p.m.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Posted 8:30 p.m.
With early voting results in, Michael Moore leads Diana Martinez Alexander in the Democratic primary runoff for Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner with 59.1% of the vote, or 14,838 votes.
Moore and Martinez Alexander were the top two candidates to emerge from the six Democrats who ran in the primary election in March. The two candidates finished that race neck-and-neck, with Martinez Alexander slightly ahead with 27% of the vote to Moore's 26.5%.
The winner of the race will face off against Republican candidate Tom Ramsey in the November general election. Ramsey handily won the Republican primary runoff in March with 70.6% of the vote.
In a previous Q&A with Community Impact Newspaper, Moore—who served as chief of staff to former Houston Mayor Bill White—said his priorities include taking a more proactive approach to flood prevention, including increasing funding for the Harris County Flood Control District, staying on top of drainage maintenance and protecting the Katy prairie. In a recent environmental issues forum at which Martinez Alexander also spoke, Moore said he feared a $2.5 billion referendum for the flood control district approved by voters in 2018 would not be enough to fix the problems throughout the county. That money, he said, is mainly being used to fix old infrastructure and clear out creeks.
"We’re going to have to come back and do another $2.5 billion," Moore said. "That should be spent on nature-based infrastructure."
Martinez Alexander, an educator and activist, said she also considers flooding a top priority, along with more seriously addressing climate change. She said she decided to run for the position with the belief that the precinct needed to be represented by someone who is in tune with the community and the needs of working families.
The Precinct 3 commissioner spot is currently held by Steve Radack, a Republican who has served as commissioner for more than 30 years before announcing his retirement in December.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
