How Many Times Can You Be Mayor of Houston? A Guide for the Ambitious (and Slightly Power-Hungry)
Howdy, partner! So you've got your sights set on the top job in H-Town, huh? Mayor of Houston? That's a mighty fine ambition you've got there. But before you start practicing your victory speech in the mirror (we've all been there), there's a little hurdle to jump over: term limits.
Those pesky things exist to prevent folks from becoming mayors for life (unless your name is Oscar Holcombe, but that's a whole other story). So, how many times can you actually take a shot at the big chair? Let's grab a kolache, pull up a barstool, and get schooled.
The Great Term Limit Tango: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (Unless You Like Kolaches, Then Maybe Two)
Back in the day (think pre-2015), things were a little looser. Mayors could sashay into office every two years like they were attending a rodeo dance. But then came the voters, bless their civic-minded hearts, and decided two terms (four years total) were enough for any one mayor.
Here's the thing, though: term limits are like a good Texas two-step – there are variations. In 2015, the city charter decided four years was a better groove, but it also threw in a two-term limit. So, you can be mayor for two consecutive four-year stints, but then you gotta take a four-year break and let someone else have a whirl at the lasso.
Think of it like a kolache break. You gotta savor the taste before you go back for another one.
But Wait, There's More! (Because Texas Loves Big Everything)
Now, hold your horses (or should we say, hold your metaphorical cowboy hat?). There's a little asterisk to all this. If you were lucky enough to be mayor before 2010, you might be able to snag a third term. It's a grandfather clause kind of thing, a loophole so big you could fit a whole herd of longhorns through it. But for everyone else, two terms and you're out (unless you bring back the kolaches, that is).
So, Can You Be Mayor of Houston Forever?
Well, no partner, not unless you invent a time machine or convince everyone you're the spitting image of a beloved past mayor (and even then, the resemblance better be uncanny). Two terms is the limit for most folks. But hey, that's still enough time to make a real difference in H-Town.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go grab another kolache. This term limit talk has made me peckish.
