The new City Council District 8 has transportation as its foremost issue, and campaign contributors are giving generously to try to elect a candidate that can get City Hall to pay attention to Southwest Austin. While businessman Darrell Pierce got the most money from supporters by the June 30 deadline, engineer Rebecca Bray loaned herself […]
Austin City Council November 2014 Elections
The November 2014 Austin City Council elections marked a shift from an all-at-large City Council to one elected based mostly on geographic districts. The city’s Mayor remains elected at-large.
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Casar dominates fundraising in Council District 4 race
District 4 has a wealth of candidates, but only a handful of them brought in significant campaign contributions for the upcoming Council election. Greg Casar, the community organizer with the Workers Defense Project, pulled in just over $40,000, with a large number of donors, including a couple of labor unions. Casar lists 33,329 cash on […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Ora Houston leads money race in City Council District 1
Two candidates are pulling away from the pack in fundraising to represent Austin’s African-American opportunity district, District 1. Ora Houston has raised the most money so far, solidifying her status as the presumed frontrunner. Houston has raised $29,173 through June 30, with $20,378 remaining after expenditures. Among her contributors are some familiar names, including Mary […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Former State Rep. Kitchen leads fundraising in District 5
Former State Rep. Ann Kitchen has greatly outpaced the other candidates in the race to represent South Austin’s District 5. Her contribution and expenditure report show she has raised more than $42,000 and lent her campaign $20,700. After spending nearly $40,000 she had about $23,000 remaining June 30, the final day of the reporting period. […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Adler takes big money lead over Martinez, Cole in Mayor’s race
Months before the mayoral field was set, those who opine on such things predicted candidates for Mayor would spend big money on the race. With four months to go, that only seems true for one candidate, attorney Steve Adler. Adler, who has never run for public office before, has to overcome the hurdle of being […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Almanza, McGhee lead in fundraising in crowded District 3 race
District 3, listed as the poorest among the city’s 10 parts, has produced a large pool of candidates vying to represent them. One of those candidates, however, has decided not to continue his race. Miguel Ancira, a senior coordinator for Capital One Bank, has decided not to run for the District 3 seat after all. […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics, Uncategorized
Seven seek City Council seat for District 7
District 7 is a tale of two neighborhoods: one is an established North Central area sandwiched between two high-volume traffic arteries, and the other a more recently developed suburban region, still looking for the city to provide pools, parks and sidewalks. The district encompasses the Crestview, Allandale and Brentwood neighborhoods on the south, bounded by […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Republican voters likely to dominate District 6 elections
As Austin neighborhoods go, those drawn into District 6 are farthest from City Hall, certainly in distance, and perhaps in philosophy. In fact, District 6 is the only one of the 10 new political subdivisions that voted solidly Republican in the 2012 General Election. There was no fence sitting like in a couple of the […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Old Austin meets new system in District 5
The area running south from Lady Bird Lake between Barton Creek and the Union Pacific Railroad line is truly “old Austin.” Not to be confused with “old money Austin,” but with comfy neighborhoods like Zilker, Barton Hills and Westgate with homes on tree-lined streets that may remind you of a well-worn cotton shirt. City Council […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Crowded field looks to represent small, diverse District 4
District 4 under the new City Council system is – figuratively and literally – at a crossroads. Interstate 35 and US 183, two of the city’s busiest highways, bisect the area. In addition, the district reflects the divide between Austin’s east and west sides, which kept races and cultures in the city apart for decades. […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Nine candidates vie to represent growing, changing District 3
The new City Council District 3 brings together three distinct neighborhoods – Central East Austin, Riverside and Far South Austin. The massive growth and changing demographics of the city have significantly changed the neighborhoods and residents of District 3, bringing a mixed bag of changes, both good and bad. The neighborhoods face unfettered growth, rising […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
10-1 offers District 2 residents a louder voice
The Dove Springs Neighborhood, which takes up much of the new City Council District 2, is possibly the best example backers of the city’s 10-1 District system can point to for why Austin needs single-member districts. The area is – by any number of measures – one of the poorest in the city, with a […]