Kelly Laird Wins Baytown District 5 Council Seat

Unofficial returns show Laird defeating John Farris by 405 votes in the Baytown City Council race.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections

Kelly Laird Wins Baytown District 5 Council Seat

Live Poll

Do you trust your local city council to represent your community well?

Kelly Laird won the District 5 Baytown City Council seat over John Farris by 405 votes, receiving 56% of the more than 3,000 votes cast. Incumbents James Franco and Mike Lester also held their seats on the council.

Why it matters

The results determine the makeup of the Baytown City Council, and all figures remain unofficial until the canvass is complete. Councilmembers will be sworn in only after that process is finished.

Unofficial returns show Laird received 56% of the more than 3,000 District 5 votes, while Franco led Gilbert 1,516 to 1,234 in District 4. Final totals depend on canvassing, which has not yet been completed.

The players

Kelly Laird

Kelly Laird is a Baytown City Council candidate who won the District 5 seat.

James Franco

James Franco is an incumbent Baytown City Council member who led the District 4 race.

The details

Unofficial vote returns from Harris and Chambers Counties show Kelly Laird ahead of John Farris in District 5, and James Franco and Mike Lester holding their seats. Laird and Franco have issued statements following the results.

Election day was November 3, 2026, when Baytown City Council votes were counted.
Laird and Franco issued statements on November 4, 2026.

Political Context

Incumbents James Franco and Mike Lester retained their seats, while District 5 represents a change in representation. The opposition concerns or advocacy group positions on these races were not provided in the extraction.

Baytown residents in Districts 4, 5 and 6 will see new or retained council representation once the canvass is complete and councilmembers are sworn in. Until then, the results remain unofficial.

The takeaway

Election results are unofficial until canvassed, so residents should check the final certified totals before drawing conclusions about the new council.