Updated Nov. 5 at 12:40 p.m. CST

Susana Almanza and Sabino "Pio" Renteria will head to a Dec. 16 runoff race for Austin City Council District 3 after receiving the first- and second-most votes, according to final unofficial results posted Nov. 5 at 1:54 a.m.

Among the 12 candidates running for the seat, Almanza received 1,135 votes, or about 20.8 percent of the votes. Renteria placed second with 1,123 votes, or about 20.6 percent of the votes tallied from about 91 percent of the Travis County Election Day polling locations.

Almanza is a community organizer and founder of People Organized in Defense of Earth and her Resources. She said her opposition to Austin's $1 billion urban rail bond helped her finish first.

"This is a historical victory, because there has never been a Mexican-American woman elected to City Council in 175 years," Almanza said. "I really look forward to continuing to work with the community representatives and to represent the community [myself]."

Renteria—a former IBM employee, and current volunteer and community leader—said he hoped to run a low-cost grassroots campaign that would appeal to voters.

"We were going to walk in the shoe leather, meeting with people and not hiring any consultant and not doing any slick mailers," he said. "We're going to continue working on our grassroots campaign and continue with our issues that I are important in the neighborhood."

All results remain unofficial until canvassed.

Posted 8:06 p.m. CST

Early voting results indicate Susana Almanza and Sabino "Pio" Renteria are leading in the race for Austin City Council in District 3.

Any candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the votes will win the election. Otherwise voters will choose between the two leading candidates during a Dec. 16 runoff election.

Almandza and Renteria are competing for the District 3 City Council position with 10 other candidates—Mario Cantu, Julian L. Fernandez, Christopher Hoerster, Shaun Ireland, Fred McGhee, Kent Phillips, Jose Quintero Sr., Eric J. Rangel, Ricardo Turullols-Bonilla and Jose Valera.

Early results show that Almanza has 1,134 votes, or 20.8 percent of votes. Renteria is coming in second with 1,122 votes, or about 20.6 percent of votes.

This is the first election in which Austin residents can vote for City Council candidates in 10 distinct geographic districts, rather than voting citywide for at-large City Council candidates. Voters approved the new City Council system in November 2012. The system separates the districts for council candidates but preserves at-large voting for the Austin mayor's office. The city's Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission established the new districts in 2013.

After the new City Council is elected, five members will be selected at random to serve initial two-year terms and five will serve initial four-year terms. The initial terms allow future council elections to be held every two years, and future council terms will last four years.

Austin City Council District 3 includes about 17 square miles in the eastern, southeastern and southern parts of the city, according to data provided by the city of Austin. The district includes the neighborhoods of Austin's Battle Bend, Govalle, Montopolis, Riverside and St. Edwards.

Early totals also show:

  • Jose Valera with 887 votes, or 16.3 percent of votes
  • Mario Cantu with 490 votes, or 9 percent of votes
  • Eric Rangel with 376 votes, or 6.9 percent of votes
  • Shaun Ireland with 326 votes, or 6 percent of votes
  • Julian L. Fernadez with 280 votes, or 5.1 percent of votes
  • Kent Philps with 275 votes, or 5 percent of votes
  • Fred McGhee with 256 votes, or 4.7 percent of votes
  • Jose Quintero Sr. with 122 votes, or 2.2 percent of votes
  • Ricardo Turlos-Bonila with 96 votes, or 1.8 percent of votes
  • Christopher Hoerster with 78 votes, or 1.4 percent of votes