| Election Name: | 2009 Houston mayoral election |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Houston, Texas.svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2007 Houston mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 2007 |
| Next Election: | 2011 Houston mayoral election |
| Next Year: | 2011 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2009 (first round) December 12, 2009 (runoff) |
| 1Blank: | First round |
| 2Blank: | Runoff |
| Image1: | Annise Parker (1).JPG |
| Candidate1: | Annise Parker |
| Colour1: | c0c0c0 |
| 1Data1: | 54,193 30.62% |
| 2Data1: | 81,743 53.60% |
| Candidate2: | Gene Locke |
| Colour2: | c0c0c0 |
| 1Data2: | 45,954 25.97% |
| 2Data2: | 70,770 46.40% |
| Candidate3: | Peter Brown |
| Image3: | Brown2008 (1).jpg |
| Colour3: | c0c0c0 |
| 1Data3: | 39,904 22.55% |
| 2Data3: | Eliminated |
| Candidate4: | Roy Morales |
| Image4: | Roy Morales 2009 (1).jpg |
| Colour4: | c0c0c0 |
| 1Data4: | 35,925 20.30% |
| 2Data4: | Eliminated |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Bill White |
| After Election: | Annise Parker |
The Houston mayoral election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009, to elect the successor to incumbent Mayor Bill White. White was ineligible for re-election, having served three terms. The race is officially nonpartisan. After no candidate received a majority of the votes, the top two candidates – City Controller Annise Parker and former City Attorney Gene Locke – faced each other in a runoff election on December 12, 2009. On November 11, councilman Peter Brown (who finished third in the first round) publicly endorsed Parker in the Mayor's race.[1] Annise Parker won the run-off.
With the election, Houston became the largest city to elect an openly gay mayor.[2] [3]
Candidates listed in order of how they appear on the official ballot.[4]
| Source | Error margin | Date | Peter Brown (D) | Gene Locke (D) | Roy Morales (R) | Annise Parker (D) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Chronicle and Zogby International[5] | +/- 4.1% | October 18, 2009 | 23.8% | 13.1% | 6.7% | 19.0% |
| 11 News/KUHF Houston Public Radio poll[6] [7] | +/- 4.2% | October 27, 2009 | 24% | 14% | 5% | 16% |
Parker was re-elected in 2011 and 2013. Locke served as Harris County interim commissioner in 2016, finishing the term of El Franco Lee, who had died unexpectedly in January of that year.[8]