Austin's mayor is elected from the city at large to preside over the 11-member council and serve as Austin's ceremonial head of government, but has no executive powers beyond that role under the city's council-manager, or weak mayor, form of government.
Incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson, currently in an abbreviated two-year term after previously serving as mayor from 1997-2001, is seeking reelection. He's being challenged by Carmen Llanes Pulido, Jeffery L. Bowen, Doug Greco and Kathie Tovo.
Learn more about the candidates ahead of the Nov. 5 election. Eligible Austin residents have until Oct. 7 to register to vote, and early voting starts Oct. 21 and ends Nov. 1.
Candidates were asked to keep responses within 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Carmen Llanes Pulido
Experience:
Lifelong Austinite, 20-year community organizer, City commissioner (Planning, Quality of Life, Redistricting), Land use scholar
Occupation:
Executive Director, Go Austin / Vamos Austin (GAVA)
Candidate Website:
https://www.carmen4mayor.com/
Contact Information:
361-237-7561
Why are you running for this office and what’s the central issue you’re hoping to address?
I am running to improve Austin’s quality of life with new, accountable and community-driven leadership, placing public interests over special interests. Austin is at a crossroads facing stark income inequality, strained infrastructure and frequent extreme weather. With transparency, inclusivity and creativity, we can create a thriving future for all Austinites.
Following years of increased property taxes and costs for city services, how would you aim to keep Austin affordable for residents?
I’d aim to budget more responsibly and transparently, looking for efficiencies in outsourced contracting. I’d aim to stabilize home prices by preserving and producing deeply affordable housing, scaling community land trusts while incentivizing privately-owned, subsidized affordable housing. And I’d protect tenants and homeowners’ ability to negotiate redevelopment for maximum benefit.
What are your citywide mobility goals? Are there any top upgrades you’d seek for your constituents?
We must increase and improve transit services beyond the central city. Immediate solutions within Project Connect include bus rapid transit and a public option for on-demand transit that can compete with private rideshare. Light rail must connect downtown to the airport and cannot consume all funds meant for citywide promises.
What approach should City Council be taking in relation to public safety and the police department?
Make the budget more transparent and clearly organized, and negotiate a new police contract with the Austin Police Oversight Act in place, including a transparent process incorporating the expertise and lived experience of directly impacted people, including officers themselves, leadership, and community advocates from all sides of the political spectrum.
Jeffery L. Bowen
Experience:
68 years of life experience are my best qualifications and working with various personalities
Occupation:
Self Employed / Construction Services
Candidate Website:
https://www.jeffbowenforaustinmayor.com/
Contact Information:
512-280-8640
Why are you running for this office and what’s the central issue you’re hoping to address?
Getting back to the basics of running a city. Provide clarity to the citizens regarding the out of control spending and the city budget.
Following years of increased property taxes and costs for city services, how would you aim to keep Austin affordable for residents?
Since taxes never go down, the city needs to operate with a budget that does not further burden the taxpayers.
What are your citywide mobility goals? Are there any top upgrades you’d seek for your constituents?
For Capital Metro to provide equitable transit for all of Austin. Institute an “On Demand Transit” service and increase neighborhood circulators with connections to main routes. This would provide flexibility that rail does not provide.
What approach should City Council be taking in relation to public safety and the police department?
Negotiate a new contract for Austin Police Department. Provide police, fire and EMS personnel, equipment and training in order to provide the service the citizens deserve and pay for.
Doug Greco
Experience:
Over 25 years experience as an organizer, non-profit leader, LGBTQ advocate and public school teacher
Occupation:
Organizer
Candidate Website:
https://www.grecoforaustin.com/
Contact Information:
512-484-0590
Why are you running for this office and what’s the central issue you’re hoping to address?
As a former [Austin ISD] teacher and community organizer, I am running to fight for working families, build a strong middle class in Austin and to stand up to Greg Abbott and state leaders against their attacks on local decisions, school funding and our civil rights.
Following years of increased property taxes and costs for city services, how would you aim to keep Austin affordable for residents?
Investing in education, workforce, and living wage jobs and implementing the unspent $1.8 billion in voter-approved bond measures will give us our best return-on-investment and an economic stimulus to bring in increased tax revenues. Ending “sweetheart rates” for large industrial utility users will lighten the burden on residential ratepayers.
What are your citywide mobility goals? Are there any top upgrades you’d seek for your constituents?
I support Project Connect, and will get it completed on time and within budget. Bus ridership should be free and expanded. Austin deserves a world class transit system. If I-35 expansions goes forward, I will fight for the state and federal government to pay for the cap and stitches projects.
What approach should the City Council be taking in relation to public safety and the police department?
We should support all public safety officers by ensuring competitive wages and benefits through a contract. This will help us retain and grow our public safety workforce. We should also immediately implement the voter-approved Police Oversight and Accountability Act.
Kirk Watson*
Experience:
Mayor (1997-2001; 2023-present), State Senator (2007-2020)
Occupation:
Mayor of Austin
Candidate Website:
https://www.kirkwatson.com/
Contact Information:
512-270-9636
Why are you running for this office and what’s the central issue you’re hoping to address?
I’m running for reelection because there’s more to do to make Austin affordable and address needs such as homelessness, public safety and traffic. In just two years, we’ve passed the most ambitious land-use reforms in decades, made the Austin Infrastructure Academy to create more jobs and improved City Hall performance.
Following years of increased property taxes and costs for city services, how would you aim to keep Austin affordable for residents?
We need to build more housing, different types of housing, and housing around transit lines. We were hamstrung by segregation-era zoning restrictions and an outdated land development code, which is why we made reforms to make it easier to match the demand in housing from new and longtime residents alike.
What are your citywide mobility goals? Are there any top upgrades you’d seek for your constituents?
I’ve focused on assuring the tools we have are used well. During the last legislative session, I worked to protect Project Connect, our generational investment in light rail. A light rail system is a necessary component to our Affordability First Agenda because it will lower transportation costs for working families.
What approach should City Council be taking in relation to public safety and the police department?
We need fully staffed police, fire and EMS. I secured long-term contracts with fire and EMS and am working hard to get a police contract. In absence of a contract, we increased police pay, added incentives for officer retention and recruitment, and saw a significant improvement in 911 response times.
Kathie Tovo
Experience:
Mayor Pro Tem, 2015–2019; City Council Member 2011–2023; UT adjunct professor, 2023–24
Occupation:
Policymaker / Educator
Candidate Website:
https://www.kathieforaustin.com/
Contact Information:
682-323-9112
Why are you running for this office and what’s the central issue you’re hoping to address?
Austin needs an experienced leader committed to transparent government, with a track record of putting people first; one who is a climate champion; and one committed to work with the community on Austin’s biggest challenges, from addressing issues of affordability to becoming more resilient in the face of climate change.
Following years of increased property taxes and costs for city services, how would you aim to keep Austin affordable for residents?
As your Mayor, I will approach this issue as I did on council: requiring developers to pay the full costs of infrastructure and development; collaborating with partners to leverage city resources; trimming unnecessary expenses from the budget; analyzing utility rates and other fees to avoid increases that impact family budgets.
What are your citywide mobility goals? Are there any top upgrades you’d seek for your constituents?
To better meet our environmental, quality of life and affordability goals, Austin must continue to expand ways to get around the city beyond just by car. As a Council Member, I supported transformative investments in pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and public transit and will continue to do so as Mayor.
What approach should City Council be taking in relation to public safety and the police department?
A safer, more resilient community requires access to violence prevention programs, mental health care and initiatives like the Sobering Center (which I led in creating) that help prevent crime. We must also work toward improving police training and passing a police contract with the accountability measures voters supported in 2023.
