Noriega, Morales set for round two

If you didn't get a chance to vote in Saturday's election, don't worry. You'll get another one on June 16 - that's when Roy Morales and Melissa Noriega will go head-to-head in a runoff. That's also Mayor White's birthday, so let's make him proud, although he was coy about who he voted for himself.

The special election was held on Saturday to fill the vacant at-large seat formerly held by Shelley Sekula-Gibbs. The S. S. Gibbs set sail for Washington to fill another vacancy - Tom DeLay's former seat in the House - for a couple months. Noriega, with about 46% of the vote on Saturday, was just short of the majority she needed to win the election outright. Morales trailed her with about 18%. The two eliminated nine other candidates from the crowded field. Morales hopes to pull votes from several other conservative candidates who won't be on June's ballot.

Noriega is a HISD employee and the wife of State Rep. Rick Noriega. She filled in for him in 2005 while he served in Afghanistan in the Texas Army National Guard. Roy Morales is a former Air Force officer who now serves on the Harris County Board of Education. He ran for city council unsuccessfully two years ago. Both candidates have experience in public service and are well-qualified for the job.

After the June 16 runoff, the seat will show up again on November's ballot.