Most local Austin media missed the best story of the Austin Election. Some also ran misleading headlines about the outcome of the Austin Mayoral race.
It's not over yet, folks!
That's because Kirk Watson's* margin over Carmen Llanes Pulido is only 14 votes. Watson has approximately 50.004%. Pulido received 20.1% Mind you, this was in a 5-way race.
It's our understanding that the earliest Pulido can call for a recount is after the canvass on Tuesday (tomorrow), November 19. Pulido has indicated she may ask for one.
The canvass announcement begins at 9 am at City Hall and you can watch there or online here. Here's the resolution they will be working with.
It's a shame to bury this story of the Austin Election.
In this mayoral first round, based on the latest campaign finance reports analyzed by the Austin-based independent media outlet, The Austin Bulldog, on October 29, Watson spent approximately $955,+ to garner 176,000 votes, approximately $5.50 per vote. The independent (nonaligned) poverty and environmental heroine, Pulido, spent approximately $107K, approximately $1.94 per vote. (Note: This does not include spending that does not have to be reported until January 15th and the PAC spending behind these two candidates.)
LIV Thoughts on the First Round:
City Council elections in Texas are nonpartisan.
No one runs on a party line. But Austin moved its city council races to November elections in 2012, putting them on a crowded and highly partisan ballot, this year with the presidential election.
Carmen Llanes Pulido was supported by a new PAC, Austin United. AU's attempt at innovation and cross-partisanship with the "Replacements" (see ad) was creative and laudable. But for LIV (and perhaps many nonaligned voters) they might be missing the forest for the trees: the small "d" democracy argument, aka open government.
You see, the Mayor and his minions on the Austin City Council handed an opposing coalition the democracy argument when two attorneys -- Bill Bunch and Bill Aleshire -- caught the Mayor in a legal action violating TOMA -- the Texas Open Meetings Act. Watson and his dutiful Council placed a bevy of charter amendments on the ballot without allowing public input as required under TOMA. Several of those amendments would have caused serious harm to citizen's right to petition.
The right to petition is widely supported across the political spectrum and Watson has been on record for years trying to neuter them. We wrote about all of the above in the article posted at the end, "Two attorneys named Bill".
Those Who Blame 10-1 Are Also On Wrong Track
Some Austin politicos have taken to laying blame on Austin's 10-1 for the geographic representation voting system (and don't forget its independent citizens redistricting commission - ICRC -- that is part of 10-1) for "the lack of a more diverse, opinionated body...but also a body much more attuned to the business interests than it should be,” according to key 10-1 leader, Peck Young, Austin Free Press article, "Buyers Remorse."
LIV's Linda Curtis, a longtime independent who also played a key role in Austin's 10-1 movement said:
"I challenge my brilliant friend, Peck Young, to find some political science. Might the problem be seen in what else was put on the same ballot with 10-1 in 2012 -- by the City Council? Moving their municipal elections to November (rendering our nonpartisan city elections to a long and partisan ballot) with the self-serving claim it would be better for minorities (even raising the race card if you didn't support it) and extending Council terms from 3 to 4-year terms have anything to do with it? For cripes sake, the U.S. House has two-year terms!"
Disbursing power across an array of stakeholders, not political operatives, is the only real shot citizens have to counter-balance special interests. That is why in this election open government (aka small "d democracy") is the issue, but no one has claimed it by leading with it.
For sure, there is a very important runoff in District 7: Mike Siegel v. Gary Bledsoe: Open government is the issue Early voting is Dec. 2-10, Election Day is December 14
The iconic civil rights leader, Gary Bledsoe, got in late in a six-way race for City Council District 7. Bledsoe garnered over 19% of the vote with Mike Siegel at the top of the heap with 40%. Bledsoe has also stated his clear support for open government. We believe him.
Not so fast, LIV!
Just before LIV published this article, we received this article from The Austin Bulldog, Mayor Watson’s ethics complaint hearing stalled."
Former Austin Ethics Commissioner and neighborhood activist, Betsy Greenberg, is to be congratulated for a job well done in a split decision 3 to 3, so it's still pending, and despite a broken Ethics Commission process. At least Greenberg, who is not an attorney mind you, forced the very astute lawyer and Mayor Watson and his attorney, Jim Couser who is also no slouch, to show up and to account.
In a discussion with LIV, Greenberg agreed that the Ethics Commission needs fixing, or is it unfixing? For example, we agreed that members of the Commission should not be chosen by Council Members. They could easily be chosen randomly by lottery, as is the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission enacted under 10-1.
More soon, but feel free to comment here or on our Facebook page. Thank you!
*Note: Austin's fluky term limits law does not work like presidential term limits. Trump will only have a second term of four years. Meanwhile, Kirk Watson could get a 4th mayoral term for another agonizing 4 years because council members are limited to two "consecutive" terms. The law also allows members to get around term limits by petitioning to run again. See here on Ballotpedia.
Background Articles:
The Austin Bulldog: Watson wins fourth term as mayor* (caution to Kirk is for sure in)
The Austin Monitor: Kirk Watson avoids runoff, secures new term as Austin mayor
LIV News: Two Attorneys Named Bill Strike Again for Open Government in Texas: Austin's tricky charter amendments taken off the ballot.
Check out our article in this LIV News edition, "The little city that could and did," as LIV experiments with cross-partisan organizing in Bastrop. Open government is our centerpiece.
The Austin Bulldog, Mayor Watson’s ethics complaint hearing stalled."
Comments