Hollins, endorsers tout record of innovative, accountable, and effective local governance
HOUSTON, TX – Today, former Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins announced his candidacy for Houston City Controller. The announcement was made this morning before a crowd of supporters at the Hollins Campaign Headquarters in Fifth Ward.
“I’m proud to announce that I’m running to be Houston’s next City Controller. As the chief financial officer of the city, the Controller plays a pivotal role in ensuring good stewardship of our tax dollars. I will fight every day to increase transparency and accountability in our city government, ensuring that every dollar we invest in our city pays real dividends for our community,” said Hollins. “I’m also excited by the potential for the Office of the City Controller to be Houston’s chief innovation office – one that offers new ideas and best practices that will impact the lives of millions of Houstonians for the better.”
As Harris County Clerk, Hollins led the 2020 elections effort in Harris County, protecting and expanding voting rights for 2.5 million Houston-area voters during the most pivotal election in our lifetime. Chris’s innovations—which included drive-thru voting, 24-hour voting, online mail ballot tracking, and tripling the number of early voting centers—resulted in the highest voter turnout in Texas history despite the ongoing pandemic.
Today, Hollins serves as a volunteer member of the Board of Directors of METRO, Houston’s public transit authority. In this role, he is helping to oversee METRO’s $1.8 billion annual budget, shaping its $7 billion expansion plan, and leading its full transition to renewable fuels by 2030.
A career problem-solver for large organizations, Chris has worked at some of the world’s most distinguished professional service firms. As a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, he pioneered strategies for large government agencies and assisted multinational companies in improving results for the people they serve.
Hollins continued, “I stood up to Greg Abbott to protect voting rights for Houstonians while serving as County Clerk, and as your next City Controller, I will join other strong local leaders as Houston’s last line of defense against dangerous state overreach.”
Some of those local leaders have offered strong early endorsements of Hollins’s candidacy for City Controller:
Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones: “Chris Hollins is the leader we can trust with Houston’s tax dollars. His proven experience helping government agencies make transformational change will not only protect taxpayers, but also help Houston continue its role as a driver of global innovation. That’s why Chris has my enthusiastic endorsement for City Controller.”
Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee: I am proud to endorse Chris Hollins for Houston City Controller. Chris proved his ability to be a dynamic and thoughtful leader in local government when he ran our 2020 elections as Harris County Clerk. I am confident Chris will take those same leadership skills to the city, serve as a strong advocate for Houston taxpayers, and be a key voice in the next generation of leadership in Houston.
State Representative Gene Wu: Chris Hollins is my choice – and the best choice – for City Controller. As County Clerk during one of the most pivotal elections in our lifetime, Chris managed a complex logistical operation, transformed the culture of government bureaucracy, and demonstrated the courage and strategic focus to stand up for hardworking Houstonians. This is the leadership experience we need in our next City Controller.
Election Day is November 7, 2023. Learn more at ChrisHollins.com.
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