Mayoral election in Austin, Texas (2018)

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2020
2016
2018 Austin elections
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Election dates
Filing deadline: August 20, 2018
General election: November 6, 2018
Election stats
Offices up: Mayor, City council
Total seats up: 6 (click here for other city elections)
Election type: Nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2018

Incumbent Stephen Adler defeated former Councilwoman Laura Morrison and five others to be the mayor of Austin, Texas, in a nonpartisan election on November 6, 2018.

Adler was first elected in 2014. Morrison served on the Austin City Council from 2009 through 2015.[1] The other candidates who ran were Travis Duncan, Alan Pease, Gustavo Peña, Todd Phelps, and Alexander Strenger. As of October 2018, Adler had raised more than $700,000, and Morrison had raised nearly $120,000. The only other candidate to raise more than $1,000 was Phelps, who took in about $5,000.[2]

A major issue in the race was land-use zoning, particularly the city's attempt to rewrite its zoning codes known as CodeNEXT. Adler and the city council discontinued CodeNEXT in August due to opposition from groups that said the rewrite would threaten Austin neighborhoods with more development. Morrison criticized Adler on the issue, saying he was too development-friendly and had not sought sufficient public input on CodeNEXT and other city development projects. Adler said the opposition to CodeNEXT was due to misinformation about its potential effects. He said rewriting the land-use code could both address the city's affordable housing concerns and protect Austin's neighborhoods.[3][4]

Political consultants Mark Littlefield and David Butts said Morrison would benefit from a runoff due to her high-intensity support from neighborhood activist groups, but Adler would be competitive in the general election and the runoff. Littlefield said, “If you run 10,000 computer simulations, there are not many that have Laura Morrison winning without a runoff. I would assume that most Laura supporters would admit that Laura’s path to victory includes some sort of runoff scenario. For Adler supporters, they would prefer to avoid a runoff, but I don’t think they’re scared of a runoff.”[3]

The last incumbent to lose a mayoral race in Austin was Ron Mullen in 1985. The last (and only) woman to serve as Austin's mayor was Carole Keeton McClellan from 1977 to 1983.[4]

Austin uses a council-manager system, which grants mayors less authority than the strong mayor-council systems used by cities such as Los Angeles and New York. In Austin's council-manager system, the mayor is a regular voting member of the city council with a few additional, typically ceremonial duties. Austin's mayor presides over council meetings and is recognized as the head of the city's government for ceremonial, civil process, and military purposes but does not have special legal privileges like the power to veto.[5]

The deadline for candidates to file to run in this election was August 20, 2018.

Austin also held elections for city council in 2018. Click here for more information about those races.

Elections[edit]

Candidates and election results[edit]

The candidate list below is based on a list provided by the Austin City Clerk website on September 10, 2018.[6]

General election

General election for Mayor of Austin

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Austin on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Stephen Adler
Stephen Adler (Nonpartisan)
 
59.1
 
178,980
Image of Laura Morrison
Laura Morrison (Nonpartisan)
 
19.2
 
58,321
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Gustavo Peña (Nonpartisan)
 
11.2
 
34,082
Image of Todd Phelps
Todd Phelps (Nonpartisan)
 
6.5
 
19,614
Image of Travis Duncan
Travis Duncan (Nonpartisan)
 
2.3
 
6,999
Image of Alexander Strenger
Alexander Strenger (Nonpartisan)
 
1.0
 
3,033
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Alan Pease (Nonpartisan)
 
0.7
 
2,052

Total votes: 303,081
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Campaign finance[edit]

Endorsements[edit]

Adler endorsements[4]

  • Celia Israel (D), state representative
  • Donna Howard (D), state representative
  • Sally Hernandez (D), Travis County sheriff
  • Margaret Moore (D), Travis County district attorney
  • Wilhelmina Delco (D), former state representative
  • Wendy Davis (D), former state senator

Morrison endorsements[4]

  • Gina Hinojosa (D), state representative
  • Maria Canchola (D), Travis County constable-Precinct 4
  • Ann Teich, Austin Independent School District trustee
  • Beverly Griffith, former Austin city councilwoman
  • Karen Huber, former Travis County commissioner

Additional elections on the ballot[edit]

See also: Texas elections, 2018 and Municipal elections in Austin, Texas (2018)

Issues[edit]

Land-use zoning[edit]

On August 1, 2018, Mayor Adler told the Austin City Council that he had asked the city manager to end work on CodeNEXT, a six-year project to rewrite the city's 34-year old land-use zoning codes, and come up with a new method for addressing the issue.[7]

Adler said that some Austin residents had come to him with concerns that CodeNEXT would lead to denser development projects and more commercial alcohol sales in and around neighborhoods. He said these perceptions were incorrect but that communication about CodeNEXT had broken down.[7] Adler said he supported rewriting the city's land-use codes because it could help address Austin's affordable housing issues and protect neighborhoods.[4]

Adler previously told the Austin Chronicle that CodeNEXT divided city residents, with opponents fearing that it would lead to more development in their neighborhoods, particularly those in central Austin, and supporters saying that opponents were racists who were trying to deny housing opportunities to lower-income and minority residents. Adler said, "Neither of those things are right, and we have to stop vilifying people who have different views or priorities."[4] The four city council members in favor of allowing denser developments projects—Delia Garza, Greg Casar, Jimmy Flannigan and Pio Renteria—and the four members who aligned themselves with a petition movement to slow down CodeNEXT—Leslie Pool, Ora Houston, Alison Alter and Kathie Tovo—supported Adler's move to restart the code rewrite process.[7]

Morrison said that perceptions of CodeNEXT opponents as anti-growth or anti-change were incorrect. She said Adler was to blame for the conflict because he had not sought enough public input. She said, "There hasn't been sufficient outreach from City Hall – despite such a long and expensive process – and too many people feel they haven't been consulted. They say they feel like they've been disenfranchised. ... There are a lot of people concerned about Austin's future, about their neighbors having to leave the city because of rising housing costs."[4]

Morrison also called for “sustaining neighborhood character” in land-use zoning rewrites. She previously served as president of the Austin Neighborhoods Council, a group formed to advocate for single-family neighborhoods.[8]

Campaign themes[edit]

Stephen Adler[edit]

Adler's website stated the following. Click the links to watch Adler's videos and see his statements on the issues.

Laura Morrison[edit]

Morrison's website stated the following:

Imagine what it would be like to live in a place where there is excitement about the future, not anxiety. Imagine feeling confident that your children and their own families will be able to enjoy Austin’s prosperity, rather than be victimized by it. Imagine living in a city that manages its growth rather than letting its growth manage it.

City Hall’s failure to handle that growth has divided Austinites into winners and losers at the very time they need to come together. This community needs a mayor who will end this divisiveness and ensure everyone shares in Austin’s prosperity. In times like these, Austin needs a mayor who will fight for all of us, not just a select few.

For too many Austinites, that is not where we are now. But it can be. We can get there together. We have to get there together.

Affordability
CodeNEXT is not the answer to Austin’s affordability crisis—it will make the problem worse. Home prices have been rising for a long time, but they have skyrocketed in the last three years, locking new buyers out and displacing longtime residents who cannot afford their tax bills. Austin must develop a solution from the bottom up, not the top down. As mayor, Laura will look to each of the city’s 10 council districts for solutions that work for the people on the ground. It is time for truly affordable housing, and it is time Austin had it in every part of town.

Transportation
Austin is paralyzed by traffic. The 2014 referendum on light rail failed because it did not reflect the needs of the people who lived in the city at the time. It is time for leadership that collaborates with the community when it comes to transportation and mass transit, something Austin has never had before.

Smarter Spending
Austinites need to get more bang for their buck, and they can. As an example, Laura helped put together a program at the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) to save $50 million over 10 years by simply housing 250 of the neediest homeless people in Austin. That is a smart use of money, and Austin needs more programs like it. It is time for a careful evaluation of City Hall’s spending habits, a close look at the efficiency of its initiatives and staff, and better planning for use of the community’s tax dollars.

Community Wellness
The City of Austin needs to work harder to improve its residents' health and ensure they thrive. As mayor, Laura will attack this community's health disparities head-on, invest in systems that will end homelessness among families with children, and address gender- and ethnicity-based pay gaps in innovative ways.

[9]

—Laura Morrison’s campaign website (2018)[11]

Municipal partisanship[edit]

Once mayors elected in 2018 assumed office, Democrats held mayorships in 61 of the 100 largest cities in the country. Out of the twenty-five mayoral elections that were held in 2018 in the 100 largest cities, two party changes occurred. In the election in Lexington, Kentucky, Republican Linda Gorton won the seat, replacing former Democratic Mayor Jim Gray. In Virginia Beach, Virginia, Republican Bob Dyer won the seat, replacing former independent Mayor Louis Jones. Click here to learn more.

About the city[edit]

See also: Austin, Texas

Austin is the state capital of Texas. It is located in Travis County. As of 2010, its population was 790,390.

City government[edit]

See also: Council-manager government

Since 1924, the city of Austin has utilized a council-manager system.[12] In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[13][14]

Demographics[edit]

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic Data for Austin, Texas
Austin Texas
Population 790,390 25,145,561
Land area (sq mi) 319 261,266
Race and ethnicity**
White 72.6% 74%
Black/African American 7.8% 12.1%
Asian 7.6% 4.8%
Native American 0.7% 0.5%
Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.1%
Two or more 3.5% 2.7%
Hispanic/Latino 33.9% 39.3%
Education
High school graduation rate 89.4% 83.7%
College graduation rate 51.7% 29.9%
Income
Median household income $71,576 $61,874
Persons below poverty level 13.2% 14.7%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 254 Texas counties—0.4 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Jefferson County, Texas 0.48% 1.61% 2.25%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Texas with 52.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 43.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Texas cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 66.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Texas supported Democratic candidates slightly more often than Republicans, 53.3 to 46.7 percent. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Texas. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[15][16]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 54 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 65 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won 10 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 96 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 85 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 34.5 points.


See also[edit]

Austin, Texas Texas Municipal government Other local coverage
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External links[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. Austin American-Statesman, "Laura Morrison Will Challenge Adler for Mayor of Austin," January 8, 2018
  2. Austin-American Statesman, "As donations surpass $714,000, Adler continues to eclipse rivals," October 9, 2018
  3. 3.0 3.1 Austin-American Statesman, "Late entries could change the dynamic of Austin’s mayoral race," September 26, 2018
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Austin Chronicle, "A Two-Horse Race for Mayor," July 6, 2018
  5. Austin Code of Ordinances, "Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem," accessed December 15, 2017
  6. Austin City Council, "Ballot Applications - November 2018 Election," accessed September 10, 2018
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 KUT, "'Something Has Gone Horribly Wrong': Adler Calls For A Reset On CodeNEXT Process," August 1, 2018
  8. KUT, "Here Are The Candidates Running To Be Austin's Next Mayor," October 22, 2018
  9. 9.0 9.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  10. Stephen Adler for Mayor, “Issues,” accessed October 31, 2018
  11. Laura Morrison for Mayor, “Issues,” accessed October 31, 2018
  12. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gov
  13. Office of the City Manager, "About," accessed August 19, 2014
  14. Austin City Charter V 1-3, accessed August 26, 2014
  15. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  16. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017

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