Updated 11 a.m., May 5
Candidate Natalie Carter announced May 4 that she is pursuing a recount, as less than 50 votes separate her from incumbent Chris Parker in the May 3 election for Humble ISD board of trustees Position 3.
What's happening?
As previously reported by Community Impact, Parker received 5,263 votes, or 50.21%, while Carter received 5,220 votes, or 49.79%—a difference of 43 votes, or 0.42%, according to unofficial election results from the Harris County Clerk's Office.
On May 4, Carter announced she would be pursing a recount via her campaign's Facebook page.
"After much thought and prayer, we have decided to pursue a recount because I firmly believe our community deserves confirmation of the results," Carter wrote in the post. "Therefore, we will not concede until every vote is verified and recounted."
In a subsequent May 5 Facebook post, Carter noted the burden of cost to initiate a recount falls on the candidate and said she was seeking support to help fund the recount, which is estimated to cost between $2,400-$2,600.
"Our community deserves clarity and closure," Carter wrote in the post.
Stay tuned
Community Impact has reached out to the Harris County Clerk's Office for more details regarding the recount process and will update this story as additional information becomes available.
"I trust the integrity of the election results and have confidence in Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth's ability to accurately conduct and oversee elections, including this small election," Parker said in an emailed statement to Community Impact.
Updated 7:30 a.m., May 4
Three new faces will join the Humble ISD board of trustees, according to unofficial election results from the Harris County Clerk's Office.
By the numbers
In the race for Position 1, newcomer Oscar Silva has won with 5,944 votes, while opponent Gracie de Leon received 4,526 votes.
In the race for Position 3, incumbent Chris Parker narrowly won with 5,263 votes, while challenger Natalie Carter received 5,220 votes.
In the race for Position 4, challenger Brittnai Brown has won with 4,064 votes, while incumbent Ken Kirchhofer and challenger Tracy Shannon received 3,197 and 3,236 votes, respectively. District officials previously said winning candidates must receive more votes than any other candidate for a position, meaning no runoff elections are possible.
In the race for Position 5, newcomer Elizabeth Shaw has won with 5,562 votes, while opponents Scott Ford and Judy Castillo received 3,523 and 1,371 votes, respectively.
What they're saying
- "I'm so honored that I've been elected to serve on the Humble ISD school board," Silva wrote in a statement via his campaign Facebook page. "Now, the real work begins. I'm hopeful and excited for the future of Humble ISD. Together, we can continue to build stronger schools, support our educators, and keep students at the heart of every decision."
- "I am deeply honored and humbled to share that, thanks to your unwavering support, we have won at the polls," Brown wrote in a statement via her campaign Facebook page. "This victory belongs to all of us. It's a reflection of the hard work, dedication and belief that together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive and more vibrant future for our community. ... The work ahead won't always be easy, but with your continued support and engagement, I am confident we can make real progress in Humble ISD."
- "I'm incredibly honored and grateful to have been elected to serve on the Humble ISD school board. I want to sincerely thank the voters and our amazing community for your support and trust throughout this election. Humble ISD is filled with passionate families, educators and leaders who are ready to move the needle forward—and I'm proud to be part of that effort," Shaw said in an emailed statement to Community Impact. "Now, the real work begins. I'm stepping into this role with energy, hope and a deep commitment to strengthening our schools, supporting our educators and keeping students at the center of every decision we make. Together, we can build a stronger future for every child in Humble ISD."
Updated 10:30 p.m., May 3
With roughly one-third of Harris County voting centers reporting election day results, one incumbent and three newcomers maintain leads in their races for a spot on Humble ISD's board of trustees.
- In the race for Position 1, newcomer Oscar Silva has maintained the lead with 5,345 votes, while opponent Gracie de Leon has received 4,095 votes.
- In the race for Position 3, incumbent Chris Parker has narrowly maintained the lead with 4,773 votes, while challenger Natalie Carter has received 4,678 votes.
- In the race for Position 4, challenger Brittnai Brown has maintained the lead with 3,629 votes, while incumbent Ken Kirchhofer and challenger Tracy Shannon have received 2,918 and 2,920 votes, respectively.
- In the race for Position 5, newcomer Elizabeth Shaw has maintained the lead with 5,049 votes, while opponents Scott Ford and Judy Castillo have received 3,163 and 1,215 votes, respectively.
Posted 7:30 p.m., May 3
Early voting results from the Harris County Clerk's Office show one incumbent and three newcomers taking the lead in their races for a spot on Humble ISD's board of trustees.
The results are in
- In the race for Position 1, newcomer Oscar Silva has taken the lead with 4,229 votes, while opponent Gracie de Leon has received 3,281 votes. The position is currently held by Robert Sitton, who did not seek re-election this year.
- In the race for Position 3, incumbent Chris Parker has taken the lead with 3,900 votes, while challenger Natalie Carter has received 3,614 votes.
- In the race for Position 4, challenger Brittnai Brown has taken the lead with 2,784 votes, while incumbent Ken Kirchhofer and challenger Tracy Shannon have received 2,453 and 2,292 votes, respectively.
- In the race for Position 5, newcomer Elizabeth Shaw has taken the lead with 4,099 votes, while opponents Scott Ford and Judy Castillo have received 2,500 and 901 votes, respectively. The position is currently held by Martina Lemond Dixon, who did not seek re-election this year.
According to information on the district's website, each of the seven members of HISD's board of trustees is elected to an at-large position—meaning they represent the entire district rather than a specific portion of the district—for four years in a nonpartisan election. To be elected for an HISD board of trustees position, a candidate must receive more votes than any other candidate for a position, meaning no runoff elections are possible, according to HISD Elections Administrator Karen Martin.
Located in the northeast portion of the Greater Houston area, HISD has 47 campuses with more than 48,000 students and over 7,000 employees, The district is the sixth-fastest growing school district in Texas and is the 24th largest district in the state, according to information on HISD's website.
Stay tuned
Community Impact will update this article as more election day vote totals are released. All results are unofficial until canvassed. Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide/election-results to see results from all local elections in your community.
