(Houston Chronicle) Sarah Alikhan lost her bid Sunday to become the first woman ever elected to the shura, or governing board, of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, one of the largest Muslim organizations in the U.S.
Incumbent Faizan Atiq will retain his seat as director of ISGH’s Southwest Zone.
It’s not clear how large a role gender played in the race. Atiq is generally recognized as one of the board’s strongest proponents of women’s issues, and some prominent women in ISGH either backed him or chose not to endorse either candidate.
The race, like other ISGH races in recent years, was extremely heated. Rhetoric by the candidates’ supporters ran high on Facebook, and voter-outreach tactics resembled those used in political campaigns.
