Which candidate benefits most from SD-17 runoff date?

Gov. Rick Perry has set a date for the State Senate District 17 runoff election. Former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell (D-Houston) and former criminal district judge Joan Huffman, a Republican, will compete in a Dec. 16 runoff. Early voting starts Dec. 8 and ends Dec. 12.

This time voters won't have the option of voting on the weekend, as they did during early voting for the Nov. 4 special election. With the holidays approaching, many voters will be choosing between making holiday preparations, shopping, and voting.

At least one political observer said the voting schedule favors Huffman. "My initial impression is that this line up for voting favors the Republican," says Rice University political scientist Bob Stein. "Democrats have proven effective at using early voting to bring out their supporters, especially when either Election Day or early voting affords them the opportunity to vote on a Saturday or Sunday, after church."

But another said the date is less important than other factors. "Texas Republicans have been doing poorly in special elections, so moving things around and shorting the early vote window might help change the pattern, but no one knows," said Richard Murray, a University of Houston political scientist. "These deals come down to enthusiasm and organization, which also requires money, and dates are usually very secondary." 

Both Bell and Huffman have been working to identify voters who voted in the special election and get them back to the polls. In interviews with PolitickerTX.com Bell has said Democrats experienced victory on Nov. 4 and want to see another gain, while Huffman has said she was unifying supporters after multiple Republicans competed in the special election earlier this month.