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2022 Austin municipal elections

The 2022 Austin, Texas municipal elections took place on January 25, May 7, November 8, and December 13, 2022.

Five city council seats (District 1, District 3, District 5, District 8, and District 9) and the Mayor had regular elections, in addition to a special election in District 4. All positions are nominally non-partisan, though most candidates choose to affiliate with a party given Austin's strong Democratic lean.

Election results

District 4 (special)

A special election was held on January 25, 2022, for City Council District 4, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of longtime councilor Greg Casar, who resigned to run for U.S. Congress in District 35. Jose "Chito" Vela won the special election outright with 59.2% of the vote.

Declared

  • Jose "Chito" Vela, former Austin Planning Commissioner and 2018 candidate for State Representative in District 46 (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Monica Guzman, community organizer and 2014 candidate for Austin City Council District 4 (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Jade Lovera
  • Amanda Rios
  • Melinda Schiera (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Isa Boonto-Zarifis
  • Ramesses II Setepenre

Proposition A (May 2022)

"Shall an initiative ordinance be approved to (1) eliminate enforcement of low-level marijuana offenses and (2) ban the use of "no knock" warrants by Austin police?

Mayor

District 1

Incumbent Natasha Harper-Madison ran for a second term. She won in the November 8th election with 53.2% of the vote.

Declared

  • Natasha Harper-Madison, incumbent councillor (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Melonie House-Dixon (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Misael Ramos (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Clinton Rarey (party affiliation: Republican)

Declined

  • Ora Houston, former District 1 councilor (2015–2019) (party affiliation: Democratic)

District 3

Incumbent Pio Renteria was ineligible for a third term, as he did not choose to collect the petition signatures required to bypass Austin's term limits.

Declared

  • Jose Velasquez, community organizer (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Jose Noe Elias (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Gavino Fernandez Jr (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Daniela Silva, community organizer (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Jose Velasquez (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Yvonne Weldon
  • Esala Wueschner

Declared ineligible

  • Bertha Rendon Delgado (endorsed Silva) (party affiliation: Democratic)

Declined

  • Pio Renteria, incumbent District 3 councilor (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Susana Almanza, community organizer and 2014+2018 candidate for District 3 (party affiliation: Democratic)

On November 8, 2022, Jose Velasquez and Daniela Silva advanced to a runoff. Velasquez went on to defeat Silva in the runoff election.

District 5

Incumbent Ann Kitchen was ineligible for a third term, as she did not choose to collect the petition signatures required to bypass Austin's term limits.

Declared

  • Stephanie Bazan (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Ken Craig, chief of staff for District 5 incumbent Ann Kitchen (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Bill Welch
  • Aaron Velasquez Webman, entrepreneur
  • Brian Anderson

Declined

On November 8, 2022, Stephanie Bazan and Ryan Alter advanced to a runoff. Alter went on to defeat Bazan in the runoff election, in what was widely seen as an upset victory.

District 8

Incumbent Paige Ellis ran for a second term. She won in the general election.

Declared

  • Paige Ellis, incumbent councilor (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Richard Smith (party affiliation: Republican)
  • Kimberly Hawkins
  • Antonio Ross

Declined

District 9

Incumbent Kathie Tovo was ineligible for a fourth term, as she did not choose to collect the petition signatures required to bypass Austin's term limits.

Declared

  • Zohaib "Zo" Qadri, community organizer (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Linda Guerrero, Austin ISD special needs teacher (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Ben Leffler (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Greg Smith (party affiliation: N/A)
  • Joah Spearman, entrepreneur (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Tom Wald, urbanist activist and director of the Red Line Parkway Initiative (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Zena Mitchell (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Kym Olson (party affiliation: Democratic)

Declined

  • Kathie Tovo, incumbent District 9 councilor (endorsed Guerrero) (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Chris Riley, former At-Large councillor and 2014 runner-up for District 9 (endorsed Wald+Spearman, then Qadri) (party affiliation: Democratic)
  • Danielle Skidmore, 2018 candidate for District 9 (endorsed Qadri) (party affiliation: Democratic)

Zohaib "Zo" Qadri defeated Linda Guerrero in the December 13, 2022 runoff election with 51.2% of the vote.

Proposition A (November)

Proposition A was a bond election.

The ballot language read:

"The issuance of $350,000,000 in tax-supported general obligation bonds and notes for planning, designing, acquiring, constructing, renovating, improving and equipping affordable housing facilities for low and moderate income persons and families, and acquiring land and interests in land and property necessary to do so, funding loans and grants for affordable housing, and funding affordable housing programs, as may be permitted by law; and the levy of a tax sufficient to pay for the bonds and notes."

References