Elections for the next HISD Board of Trustees will take place on Nov. 4. Early voting opens Oct. 20 and runs until Oct. 31. Meet the two candidates running for District 5, Dr. Maria Benzon and Mr. Robbie McDonough.
Any U.S. citizen over the age of 18 living in District 5 can vote for District 5 candidates. Elected trustees currently do not have voting powers, but will sit on the school board. HISD comprises Districts 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Click on each candidate’s photo to see what they have to say.
Keep up with Dr. Benzon and Mr. McDonough on their websites.
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Rosalie N • Sep 14, 2025 at 6:46 pm
Awesome reporting! This is very important for voters!
Emily Brams • Sep 13, 2025 at 8:55 pm
This was really interesting to read!
Cindy Tint • Sep 12, 2025 at 9:26 pm
Amazing story, Mallika! I love the unique story format!
Davis B Adams • Sep 12, 2025 at 2:01 pm
very unique way to do a story like this Malika! amazing work as always.
Clementine Behelfer • Sep 12, 2025 at 9:13 am
Such an important topic!! Thank you for bringing attention to this election and these candidates, great work!!
Community Member • Sep 9, 2025 at 9:43 pm
These are two VERY different candidates! Thank you for your work in helping us see their differences.
Melissa • Sep 9, 2025 at 8:30 pm
A very important topic! It’s great to see students engaged in democracy, especially when there’s a direct connection to what’s happening in their schools. The author asks strong questions and provides a helpful guide to compare candidates’ answers to the same questions. I also appreciate how this kind of writing encourages other students to get involved in the democratic process! I imagine some Bellaire students will be able to vote in their first election this fall. Make sure you register by October 6th!
Bethel Kifle • Sep 9, 2025 at 4:11 pm
Awesome reporting Mallika!
Ayana • Sep 9, 2025 at 1:26 pm
I love this format!