Ellis and Harper-Madison easily win reelection to Council
Tuesday, November 8, 2022 by
Elizabeth Pagano In some of the least-surprising news Tuesday night had to offer, City Council incumbents Natasha Harper-Madison and Paige Ellis both held on to their seats in decisive victories over their opponents.
In District 1, Harper-Madison, who has served on Council since 2019 and was mayor pro tem in 2021, ended the night with almost 54 percent of the total vote. Opponent Misael D. Ramos earned about 25 percent and Clinton Rarey and Melonie House-Dixon each won just over 10 percent of the total vote.
“I have said all along I was willing to serve if people were willing to vote for me. We are going to continue working together to grow Austin responsibly and bring the attention and investment that District 1 deserves,” Harper-Madison said in a statement to the Monitor. “My constituents can always count on me to tell the truth. Tonight the truth is that I am incredibly honored to continue as the representative for District 1 on the Austin City Council. Thank you to my family, my team and my constituents.”
A similar story played out in District 8. Ellis, who will be starting her second term on Council in January, declared victory after early voting showed her with just over 60 percent of the votes cast. (That number later settled out to be just over 58 percent.)
Her primary challenger, Richard Smith, received about 28 percent of the vote, while Kimberly P. Hawkins and Antonio D. Ross garnered 9 percent and 4 percent, respectively.
In a statement to the press, Ellis said, “I am honored that voters have once again entrusted me to stand up for District 8 and the city of Austin. Ours is a vibrant city full of hope and promise, and I am working to ensure that Austin is a place that we’re always proud to call home. I look forward to bringing common-sense decision-making to the dais as we face the challenges ahead.”
Photo of Natasha Harper-Madison by Casey Chapman Ross Photography. Photo of Paige Ellis by Paige Ellis for City Council.
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