Garza wins Austin City Council District 2 race

Posted 7:20 p.m. CST

Delia Garza leads the pack of four vying for the new District 2 Austin City Council seat, according to early voting results.

Garza has 3,000 votes, or 66.42 percent of the total votes. Edward Reyes is currently second in the race with 670 votes, or 14.83 percent. John Sheppard sits in third with 474 votes, or 10.49 percent, and Mike Owen trails the group with 373 votes, or 8.26 percent.

This 10-district election is the first of its kind in Austin, as voters can only vote for candidates from their district. Candidates for mayor, however, are voted on by all voters in the city. To win the race a candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the total votes, the top two finishers will head to a Dec. 16 runoff.

Five of the newly elected City Council members will be chosen at random to serve two-year terms, and the other five will serve initial four-year terms. Future City Council members will serve four-year terms, and elections will be held every two years.

The challengers

Mike Owen, a field service technician in the electro-mechanical field, said he is running for office because the government is "out of control at every level" and excessively taxing and spending. He said he intends to promote business development in District 2's lower-income areas.

Delia Garza, an attorney and former Austin firefighter, said she has been a community advocate and served on the city's 2012 Charter Revision Committee, among other initiatives.

Garza said she would like to improve infrastructure in District 2 including sidewalks and transportation, secure more affordable housing, address crime and bring more business to Southeast Austin.

John Sheppard, an Austin-based Realtor, is the owner of Austin Home Source, a real estate company located in South Austin. Sheppard said he has been active in his community, coached youth sports and served two terms as director of the Austin Board of Realtors. Sheppard said he would work to expand transportation options and extend Capital Metro operation hours.

Edward Reyes is the president of the Dove Spring Neighborhood Association and a small-business owner. He said he is running in the election because he wants to improve infrastructure including sidewalks, create more affordable housing, improve traffic and better prepare the area for disasters.

District 2 encompasses several neighborhoods in southeast Austin including Dove Springs, Sweetbriar, Franklin Park, McKinney, Southeast Austin and Onion Creek.