City Council Elections

Second day tallies are in for early voting in the Austin city elections.

1,821 Austinites went to the polls yesterday – a hair's-breadth better than Monday's number of 1,779. Add in ballots received by mail, which exhibited a drop-off from day one, and a total of 2,026 ballots were cast yesterday. That brings Austin’s grand vote total to 4,200 – or .88% of registered voters. That’s almost one percent.

A Randalls in Northwest Austin, at Research and Breaker, lead day two, delivering 213 votes. By contrast, only 16 people voted at East Austin’s George Washington Carver Complex, the low vote-getter of the day.

Early voting in the Austin city elections is in full swing – i.e., characteristically low.

Turnout for Monday, April 30, the first day of early voting, shows a total of 2,174 votes. That’s only .37 percent of registered voters. One third of one percent.

Some areas are attracting more voters than others. North Austin’s Ben Hur Shriners Hall at 7811 Rockwood Ln., led the pack with 180 total votes. A Randall's grocery store in Northwest Austin, at Research Boulevard and Braker Lane, pulled in 175 votes. And the Travis County offices on Airport Boulevard nabbed 169 votes.

On Election Day this May 12, Austin will elect a mayor.

KUT’s Matt Largey recently spoke with incumbent Lee Leffingwell, running for a second term as Austin mayor. The conversation covered affordability, transportation, geographic representation and Austin Energy’s rate redesign.

Today, Monday April 30, is the start of early voting in the Austin city elections.

Four council positions are up for grabs, including Mayor. Three candidates are running for the top spot, including Clay Dafoe. KUT’s Matt Largey met with Dafoe and discussed his opinions on keeping Austin affordable, transportation, geographic representation, and his stance on limited government .

Early voting starts in the Austin City Council races this Monday, April 30, and political newcomer Shaun Ireland is running in Place 6.  

KUT’s Nathan Bernier recently spoke with Ireland about cutting spending at the city, the Austin Energy rate redesign, transportation, geographic representation and more. You can view an expanded version of the interview above; a condensed version of the conversation is posted at kut.org.

Austin City Council member Sheryl Cole is up for re-election this May.

The Place 6 council member and Mayor Pro Tem recently came by the KUT studios to discuss her candidacy. KUT’s Wells Dunbar spoke with Cole about affordability and the Austin Energy rate redesign, transportation, and the question of geographic representation on the council.

You can listen to a condensed interview with Cole at kut.org; above, we present an expanded version of the discussion with Cole.

Early voting in the Austin city elections begins Monday, April 30. 

As part of interviews with all 14 candidates running for the Austin City Council, KUT’s Matt Largey spoke with incumbent Place 2 City Council member Mike Martinez recently. The conversation covered ways to improve affordability and transportation, the ongoing Austin Energy rate redesign, and whether Austin should adopt a form of geographic representation.