Several members of Austin’s inaugural 10-1 council will be leaving as new council terms begin in January. The geographic district-based system has been credited by some for ushering in council members who share demographics with and are closer to the communities they serve.
The current council has fielded criticism for its level of community engagement and several controversial policies, such as reallocating police funding.
A crowded field of more than 30 candidates are vying for the chance to participate in the next council.
“It’s going to be unique for voters because of term limits. A lot of familiar names are not on the ballot,” said Brian W. Smith, a political science professor at St. Edward’s University. “... For voters, what that means is, we're going to have to do a little bit of homework."
Next step for new system
In 2012, Austinites voted to move civic elections from the spring to November; revise term limits; and establish a new 10-district geographic council to replace at-large representation.
Following that shift, more than 80 candidates campaigned citywide to be their district’s first council member in the election of November 2014.
Five representatives remain from that time, and four—Mayor Steve Adler and council members Pio Renteria, Ann Kitchen and Kathie Tovo—have hit their term limits and will be replaced next year. Incumbents Natasha Harper-Madison and Paige Ellis are up for re-election and eligible for another term.
This year’s slate of 34 candidates could have the potential to change the direction of how council and the city function.
While council lays out policy, Austin’s weak-mayor system leaves day-to-day civic operations in the hands of its chief executive and administrator, the city manager.
Steven W. Pedigo, director of the LBJ Urban Lab at The University of Texas at Austin, said the increased number of voices present in the 10-1 system may have “complicated” that relationship and overall city efficiency, which the new council could seek to address.
“There’s certain issues where council hasn’t been able to get themselves to consensus, complete consensus, or it’s been consensus and step back,” Pedigo said.
Adler said the 10-1 switch was a main draw in his first run for office, and pointed to equity and closer community engagement as successes he said he has seen during the first iterations of a district-based council.
“Ultimately, the proof is in the nature of the discussions that we have on the dais, which I think now much more fully represent the kinds of discussions that are happening in homes across the city,” he said.
Ana Aguirre, president of the Austin Neighborhoods Council, which represents dozens of local neighborhood groups across town, said the organization hopes whoever is elected will make City Hall more accessible for residents wanting provide input on the direction of council discussions.
“I think some people are somewhat disappointed on how things are being done, and they [say], ‘Let’s improve this process.’ And when we’re saying community engagement, you need to mean it,” she said.
Candidates line up
Pedigo said voters have a “large buffet” to choose from, a fact that may also mean most council races are headed for runoff elections if no candidate earns at least 50% of the vote. Runoffs were needed in half of the council elections since the 10-1 switch.
“There’s a lot more similarities and a lot more overlap in the candidates than not,” he said. “When I look at the council election, it’s just really noisy.”
Pedigo said there might be more room for detailed policy debate during runoffs when only two candidates are competing.
Another wrinkle in this year’s campaign is the limited term that mayoral candidates are now running for. Austinites voted last year to line up local mayoral contests with national presidential races beginning in 2024, meaning Austin’s next mayor will have a shorter time frame to accomplish policy goals and plan for another election bid.
Candidates disclosures show former mayor and state senator Kirk Watson and state Rep. Celia Israel have earned the most financial support this year. That pair and real estate broker Jennifer Virden, a former council candidate, reported the most cash on hand heading into October.
Smith noted that the arrival of established political names early in the election cycle may have “scared off” other candidates. But the two-year term also leaves opportunity for this year’s losers or others waiting in the wings to make their run in 2024.
Policy priorities
The current council has pushed its share of controversial policies, many of which have not lasted. A 2018 update to paid sick leave policy was struck down in court; the 2019 repeal of a public camping ban was overturned by city voters; 2020’s removal of tens of millions of dollars from the police department budget was undone by state legislation; and a nearly decade-long process to revamp the city’s land development code died at the finish line following a lawsuit from city property owners.
Pedigo said council’s approach on past issues, along with a lack of clearly definable progress on top issues, may leave voters questioning this council’s success and direction. And Smith said the new council will have to continue balancing what will likely remain more progressive goals in a conservative state.
Adler said he is proud of pushing for more sweeping and “disruptive” change even when unpopular politically and hopes the new council can continue to do that.
“I hope that the successive councils continue to address the big challenges head-on, even when they’re hard to deal with,” he said. “But then I also get the sentiment that, after having done that for eight years, there’s some in the community that want to rest for just a moment or two.”
Andy Hogue, communications director for the Travis County Republican Party, said the current council has performed “terribly” in areas ranging from public safety to budgeting. This year, he said Austin’s typically left-leaning council could welcome more conservative voices based on responses to its current members.
“We really think this is a good chance for voters to stand up and demand change,” he said.
Katie Naranjo, the Travis County Democratic Party chair, credited the current council for its accomplishments amid difficult conditions. She also said she expects this year’s contests to be won on more substantive local issues.
“In every one of the council races up right now, you’ll see a Democrat elected to those positions,” she said.
One thing most observers and most candidates agree one is the importance of addressing housing. Adler has repeatedly called housing affordability the “existential crisis” facing Austin.
“I think the big issue that’s going to play out over and over and over is going to be affordability, affordability, affordability,” Pedigo said. “People are cutting and slicing and dicing at it in different ways, but that is the issue.”
