🧠 Make the Rules

They help decide the city’s laws, policies, and rules (everything that affects your daily life, like speed limits and public transportation).

💰 Approve the Budget

They vote on how Houston spends its money (fixing streets, paying city workers, building parks, and more).

🏙️ Represent Their Area

Each council member represents part of the city (or the whole city if they’re at-large). They speak up for the needs of that community — like fixing potholes, cleaning up trash, or stopping illegal dumping.

📣 Help You Get Things Done

They help residents with city issues—like missed trash pickup, dangerous buildings, or getting speed bumps added to a street.

🧾 Review Big Decisions

They approve big contracts, land deals, and sometimes check the mayor when needed.

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Bonus Facts

For the City of Houston:

• There are 16 members total: 11 by district, 5 citywide (called "at-large")

• They serve 4-year terms and can only do two back-to-back.

  • The current open seat is a special election, meaning one of the city council members left their seat before the official term ended. Leticia Plummer, in Position 4 at-large, has decided to run for Harris County judge. The winner of this election will take over the remaining two years of that term.

• They meet weekly (downtown) to vote on city business.

🗳️ Vote in Local Elections

You help decide who sits on City Council, who becomes mayor, and what policies pass. These elections affect your daily life more than most national ones. Make sure you're registered, and GET TO THE POLLS every year. 

**It takes about 30 days for your registration to be approved.**

📞 Speak Up

Got a problem on your block? Call, email, or show up to a City Council meeting. Your voice can lead to real change — like stop signs, cleaner parks and better/funded services.

📋 Stay Informed

Know what’s going on in your neighborhood and city. Read council agendas, check local news, or follow your council member on social media.

🤝 Get Involved

You can join neighborhood groups, attend town halls, serve on city boards, or just show up and be heard. Civic power = showing up.

📣 Hold Leaders Accountable

If leaders aren’t doing the job, you can call them out, organize others, or even run for office yourself.

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In short:

Your city works better when you participate.

Vote. Speak up. Pay attention. You’re not just a resident — you call the shots.