5 Austin City Council seats up for grabs: What to know about the candidates

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Five out of 10 Austin City Council seats are up for grabs in the November election.

Here’s a breakdown of the candidates running for election in Districts 2, 4, 6, 7, and 10.

District 2

See updated results throughout the night below after polls close at 7 p.m.

Incumbent Vanessa Fuentes was reelected after first winning the District 2 seat in 2020. During her tenure, Fuentes has focused on issues such as raising the city worker minimum wage to $20, expanding paid parental leave to 12 weeks, and improving access to full-day Pre-K in Del Valle ISD. Fuentes, a former community health advocate with the American Heart Association, has positioned herself as a champion of workers’ rights and education.

"This victory belongs to every person who believes in our shared vision for our community and our city," Fuentes said in a statement after her victory. "Our community faces real challenges, but I’ve never been more hopeful about what we can accomplish together. Together, we will keep fighting for good-paying jobs, complete and connected neighborhoods, and high-quality city services that make a difference in people’s lives."

Her challenger Robert Reynolds is an instructor whose campaign details and policy positions remain limited, as of now, with no public campaign website or major statements released.

District 4

José “Chito” Vela, the incumbent, is running to retain his District 4 seat. A former immigration and criminal defense attorney, Vela has been a strong advocate for criminal justice reform, housing, and public safety. He was first elected in a 2022 special election, securing 60% of the vote. His priorities include the decriminalization of marijuana and improving police accountability.

Vela told KXAN Tuesday he spent a bulk of his first term focusing on "major issues" that impacted the city as a whole and looks forward to tailoring some of those efforts to District 4 specifically the next time around. As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, his race was not officially called, but he received more than 60% of the vote.

Monica Guzmán is an activist with Go Austin! Vamos Austin (GAVA), who has emphasized affordability and neighborhood stability in her campaign. She received the second highest amount of votes.

Louis Herrin ran on a platform centered around public safety and opposition to homeless camping.

Eduardo “Lalito” Romero is a university staff member who has yet to establish a campaign website or release detailed policy positions.

Jim Rabuck is an Army veteran and federal employee who works with small businesses to secure Department of Defense contracts. His priorities include affordability, supporting first responders, and lowering taxes.

District 6

Mackenzie Kelly is running for reelection in District 6. Known for her public safety advocacy, Kelly has pushed for new fire department resources and incentives for developers to include public safety spaces in their projects. She won her seat in a heated 2020 runoff.

"Public safety is a big issue in District 6. We have slow response times because we're the furthest away from a police substation," Kelly said. "So I was able to introduce a public safety engagement center in District 6."

As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Kelly's challenger Krista Laine led by roughly 3%.

Laine is a parent and public schools advocate. Laine has been active in the Round Rock Independent School District's safety and security committee and has created advocacy groups focused on public education. Her platform includes addressing the needs of students, families, and communities in collaboration with local governments.

"My primary motivation running is to bring more effective city services toto District 6," Laine said. "Whether that means the lights staying on, repairs to the waterways, 911 response times have been a consistent issue."

District 7

With Council Member Leslie Pool reaching the end of her term, District 7 has drawn six candidates. The packed field will likely prompt a runoff with no candidate securing enough votes -- 50% -- to win outright as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

However, a heavy frontrunner emerged: Mike Siegel, a former assistant city attorney.

"In a lot of different ways, I've been a part of community organizing on thinks like criminal justice reform, police oversight, environmental issues, and I've brought people together," he said. "At the at the same time, I was a city attorney, I wrote policy for the city. I went to court, I advised the city council, the city manager, so I know how things work at City Hall."

Gary L. Bledsoe trailed him with under 20% of the vote. Bledsoe is an attorney and long-time president of the Texas NAACP, has made civil rights, affordable housing, and climate change central to his campaign.

Pierre Huy Nguyễn, a firefighter and EMT, emphasizes public safety and community service.

Todd Shaw, a former planning commission chair, has focused on land use and collaborative leadership.

Edwin Bautista, a Generation Z candidate, advocates for housing affordability and representing underserved communities.

Adam Powell, a union organizer and tech executive, is focused on affordability and supporting Austin’s working class.

District 10

With Alison Alter reaching her term limit, two candidates have emerged to replace her in District 10. The race was nearly at a 50-50 split just before midnight Tuesday.

Mark Duchen has been involved in neighborhood policy and various political action committees, including the City Accountability Project PAC. He advocates for responsible development and neighborhood preservation.

"That involves more public safety, that has been the number on issue of this campaign," he said. "It's going to involve listening to neighborhoods and homeowners and businesses for land use issues."

Ashika Ganguly, a former legislative director for Rep. John Bucy, has fought for LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, and school finance during her time in public service. Her campaign focuses on equity and inclusion at city hall.

"Thinking about setting the city up for success for the next generation," Ganguly said when KXAN asked about her goals for District 10 leadership. "So young families can afford to buy their first home, so that our citizens feel safe in their public spaces and have all the resources they need in their neighborhood communities."

These city council races will shape the direction of Austin’s policies on issues ranging from housing affordability and public safety to education and climate change.

Voters will head to the polls this November to determine the city’s future leadership.