<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3g6Uio_0wFWIwso00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3g6Uio_0wFWIwso00" width="788" height="526" ></figure><p>Voters in Austin will soon elect the city's mayor and five Austin City Council members.</p><p>The City Council, which is nonpartisan, is vitality important to how and in what way Austin provides services to residents, it approves and writes policies for the city that are then implemented by the city manager and city staff. The council also approves the annual budget — a process that sets the city's annual property tax and utility rates, dictates how much funding departments like police, parks and fire will get and much more.</p><p>The Austin mayor's race is the only at-large seat on the City Council. The 10 other seats on the council are split into geographic districts. Of those 10 seats, five are up for grabs on the Nov. 5 ballot. To find out which City Council district you live in, visit the city of Austin's council district map.</p><p>Early voting begins Oct. 21, and Election Day is Nov. 5.</p><p><b>American-Statesman Editorial Board:</b> Our list of endorsements in the November 2024 election</p><p>Here's how the candidates vying for a seat on the City Council responded to an American-Statesman questionnaire on their background, why they are running and how they would address key issues:</p><h2>Candidates for Austin mayor</h2><p>Incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson has drawn four challengers in his bid for reelection. Watson, who served as mayor from 1997 to 2001 before again running and winning the city’s highest elected office in 2022, will face former City Council member Kathie Tovo; Carmen Llanes Pulido, executive director of GAVA (Go Austin/Vamos Austin); Doug Greco, former executive director of Central Texas Interfaith; and Jeffery Bowen, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran who owns a small construction services company.</p><p>Watson has served a term shorter than the standard four years that City Council members get because Austin voters in 2021 opted to have the mayoral election line-up with the presidential election.</p><p>Here's how the candidates for Austin mayor responded to the Statesman's questionnaire:</p><h2>Candidates for Austin City Council, District 2</h2><p>Incumbent City Council member Vanessa Fuentes, who took office in 2021, is being challenged by Robert Reynolds. Reynolds listed his occupation as "instructor" on his ballot application form.</p><p>District 2 encompasses a bulk of Southeast Austin.</p><p>Here's how the candidates for District 2 responded to the Statesman's questionnaire:</p><h2>Candidates for Austin City Council, District 4</h2><p>Incumbent City Council member José “Chito” Vela is facing four challengers in his bid for a second term to represent District 4 in North Central Austin.</p><p>Here's how the candidates for District 4 responded to the Statesman's questionnaire:</p><h2>Candidates for Austin City Council, District 6</h2><p>Incumbent City Council member Mackenzie Kelly, the council's only conservative member, is being challenged by real estate appraiser Krista Laine.</p><p>District 6 encompasses the northernmost portion of Northwest Austin.</p><p>Here's how the candidates for District 6 responded to the Statesman's questionnaire:</p><h2>Candidates for Austin City Council, District 7</h2><p>Six candidates, including a former congressional candidate, a high-profile lawyer and civil rights advocate, have thrown their hat in the ring for the open Austin City Council District 7 seat being vacated by Leslie Pool, whose term will expire in January and has held the seat since 2015.</p><p>District 7 is located in North Austin.</p><p>Here's how the candidates for District 7 responded to the Statesman's questionnaire:</p><h2>Candidates for Austin City Council, District 10</h2><p>Two candidates are running to replace District 10 Council Member Alison Alter, who is term limited: Marc Duchen and Ashika Ganguly.</p><p>District 10 is located in West and Northwest Austin.</p><p>Here's how the candidates for District 10 responded to the Statesman's questionnaire:</p><p><i>This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman:</i> <i>Austin election guide 2024: Meet candidates for mayor, City Council</i></p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

2024 voter guide: Meet the candidates for Austin mayor and City Council on Nov. 5 ballot

Voters in Austin will soon elect the city's mayor and five Austin City Council members. The City Council, which is nonpartisan, is vitality important to how and in what way Austin provides services to residents, it approves and writes policies for the city that are then implemented by the city manager and city staff. The council also approves the annual budget — a process that sets the city's annual property tax and utility rates, dictates how much funding departments like police, parks and fire will get and much more.