Houston, Texas

Houston is the largest city within the state of Texas, fourth in the United States, and the second-largest economic area of the Gulf Coast region. The city is the county seat of Harris County, the third most populous county in the country. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County.

Government and politics

See also: List of Mayors in Houston, List of embassies and consulates

Related Topics:
List of Mayors in Houston - List of embassies and consulates

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Houston is the county seat of Harris County. A portion of southwest Houston, east of Missouri City, extends into Fort Bend County and also portion of northeast Houston extends into Montgomery County.

Related Topics:
County seat - Harris County - Missouri City - Fort Bend County - Montgomery County

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The current mayor of Houston is Bill White, who is serving his first term. In Houston, a mayor can be elected consecutively for three terms. City Council members, who also have a three-term limit, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large positions. At-large council members represent the entire city. The current city council lineup was based on a U.S. Justice Department mandate which took effect in 1979. Houston is considered a home rule city; members of city council and the city controller are nonpartisan positions.

Related Topics:
Bill White - Mayor - City Council - Home rule - Nonpartisan

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Many local lawmakers have been impacted by the city's term limits. Several former city officials — Anthony Hall, Rodney Ellis, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Sylvia Garcia, Martha Wong, Chris Bell, and Annise Parker — had to run for another elected position once their term expired.

Related Topics:
Lawmaker - Sheila Jackson-Lee - Chris Bell

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Former mayor Lee P. Brown denounced the term limits, saying they prevented incumbents from gaining enough experience in city government. A proposal to double the current two-year term of office has been debated — as of 2005, several candidates for the city council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated.

Related Topics:
Lee P. Brown - Term limit

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Some elected officials from the Greater Houston area within the Texas Legislature — primarily Garnet Coleman and Sylvester Turner — have also spoken against term limits.

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