The approach
Recall for Houston was formed by a group of Houston residents in 2024, frustrated with how the mayor was leading the city, said Alejandro Alegria, a co-founder and spokesperson for the group.
To recall the mayor, the petition has to have 25% of the total votes cast for the mayor in the previous election, which is over 63,000 signatures, within 30 days, according to the Office of the City Secretary.
Alegria said the group is hoping to collect about 72,000 signatures as an extra barrier to ensure the petition has valid, verified signatures, as the City Secretary’s office has to count and validate the signatures.
Why now?
Alegria said the group is doing this after Whitmire reversed multiple public safety and infrastructure projects. For example, Alegria pointed toward federally funded infrastructure projects such as when Whitmire paused street projects like Montrose Boulevard, Houston Avenue and Shepherd-Durham, and redesigned them to prioritize drivers rather than pedestrians and cyclists, he said.
He also pointed to the most recent incident, the removal of the raised crosswalk in Montrose right across from Katz’s, a decision that left many Montrose residents frustrated despite the crosswalk being installed back in 2023.
“He’s not only putting Houstonians in danger with the way he’s handling these street projects, he’s also putting funding in danger and causing us to spend more money,” Alegria said. “Whether that’s through the higher amount of maintenance that we have to spend, like regular concrete and asphalt, to maintain these lanes.”
Other issues the group listed, according to the group's website, include:
- METRO: The group shared its frustrations over Whitmire’s hiring of METRO board Chair Elizabeth Brock and dropped plans for University Corridor.
- Water: The group claims that Whitmire “plans to sell our water to West Texas” after news came out of Gov. Greg Abbott and Whitmire discussed a deal to buy Houston’s water to send to West Texas.
Whitmire called the group’s efforts "silly" during an April 2 news conference, saying that traveling across Houston is the best review for his needs.
"I am accountable to Houston—all of it—and I welcome any review of my work; it makes me a better mayor,” Whitmire said in an April 8 statement.
Mary Benton, the mayor’s chief of communications and senior adviser, said in an April 8 email that the mayor is proud to represent the city and all Houstonians.
"Mayor Whitmire is busy running the city,” she said. “The mayor is listening to Houstonians and creating a more transparent and accountable municipal government while eliminating waste, duplication and corruption."
What’s next?
Recall for Houston started accepting donations March 26. The group hopes to raise at least $250,000 to better run the organization and hire canvassers to increase efficiency when they go collect signatures in late May or early June. Algeria said the group has raised $3,600 as of April 11.
He said the group plans on collecting signatures by going door-to-door and going to large events such as neighborhood meetings, transit centers and NRG stadium.
“This isn’t about bike lanes,” Algeria said. “This is about the safety of all Houstonians. This is about the city being financially solvent, because the city cannot be reaching into other funding sources to sustain itself.”
