Election 2023: Priorities and Concerns of Houston Residents

Houston City Hall

This report identifies the city's current challenges and opportunities and what issues residents would like to see the next mayor address.

In November 2023, Houston will elect its 63rd mayor. This report identifies the city's challenges and opportunities and the issues residents would like to see the next mayor address. Overall, reducing crime, improving physical infrastructure and making housing more affordable were identified as top priorities. The report also assesses residents' opinions on issues such as the economy, traffic, climate change, homelessness and the quality of city services.

Data used for this report were collected from April to June 2023 through an online survey of over 2,000 residents in Houston city limits. Participants were identified using an address-based technique to create a sample representative of Houston. This study was conducted in partnership with Houston Landing, a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization, and made possible with financial support from Houston Endowment.

IN THE NEWS
New survey: Houstonians have many priorities for next mayor, from streets to housing to crime
Sep. 5, 2023 - HOUSTON LANDING
New survey reveals crime as a top issue in Houston ahead of mayoral election
Sep. 6, 2023 - KPRC
November election: These are the issues Houstonians think the mayor should prioritize
Sep. 6, 2023 - KPRC
Survey: Houstonians say crime is their top concern, despite falling crime rates
Sep. 6, 2023 - HOUSTON LANDING
Houston residents want next mayor to tackle housing costs, economic anxiety, survey finds
Sep. 7, 2023 - HOUSTON LANDING
Report: 1 in 4 Houston renters regularly worry about making rent
Sep. 7, 2023 - CHRON.COM
Roads, infrastructure among top priorities for Houston residents in Kinder mayoral survey
Sep. 8, 2023 - HOUSTON LANDING
New survey shows Houstonians worry about climate change, but mayor campaigns focus elsewhere
Sep. 11, 2023 - HOUSTON LANDING
Crime, infrastructure among top priorities for voters ahead of Houston mayoral race, study finds
Sep. 12, 2023 - ABC13 HOUSTON
Half of Houston renters struggle to pay for housing. Will the next mayor take notice?
Sep. 15, 2023 - HOUSTON CHRONICLE
What do we miss when we talk about Houston’s mayoral election in terms of ‘likely voters’?
Sep. 18, 2023 - HOUSTON LANDING
Houston city council to consider plan to stop charging residents for new streetlights
Dec. 5, 2023 - HOUSTON LANDING
RELATED RESEARCH
Election 2023
Election 2023: Overview of Residents’ Policy Preferences
Oct. 23, 2023

This study surveyed Houston residents about their views on a variety of policy and budgetary solutions related to crime, infrastructure and housing challenges.

ELECTIONS
RELATED INITIATIVES
Greater Houston Community Panel

The Greater Houston Community Panel includes thousands of scientifically selected adults in Harris County, Texas, who are regularly surveyed about their families and communities, including their health, well-being, expectations, opinions, priorities and aspirations.

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