Mayor of Austin

Last updated

Mayor of Austin
Flag of Austin, Texas.svg
Flag of the City of Austin
Mayor Kirk Watson at 8th Street Shelter (cropped).png
Incumbent
Kirk Watson
since January 6, 2023
Residence Private residence
Term length Four years
renewable once
Inaugural holder Edwin Waller
Formation1840
Salary$134,191 [1]
Website austintexas.gov/mayor

The mayor of Austin is the official head of the city of Austin in the U.S. state of Texas. The office was established in 1840 after Austin incorporated as a city in 1839. The mayor of Austin is elected to a four-year term and limited to serving no more than two terms. [2]

Contents

Kirk Watson took office as mayor on January 6, 2023, for a second term, having served as mayor from 1997 to 2001. [3]

Duties and powers

Austin has a council–manager form of government which means day-to-day operations of the city are run by the city manager. The mayor is the head of city government ceremonially. The mayor is technically a member of the city council and is required to preside at all meetings. The mayor is also allowed to vote on all matters that come before the city council, but has no veto powers. [4]

As of fiscal year 2022–2023, the salary for the mayor is set at $134,191.

Election

The mayor is elected in a citywide election. Currently, elections occur every four years during even-numbered years. Elections are non-partisan and by majority, but if no candidate receives a majority a run-off election is called between the top two candidates who received the most votes. [5]

Succession

Per city code of ordinances, if the mayor is absent or disabled, the Mayor Pro Tem is to act as mayor until the mayor returns or an election is held to fill the vacancy. [6]

The mayor is subject to recall by registered voters if a petition is signed and filed that contains the signatures of 10 percent of the qualified voters. If the petition is verified, a recall election is called at the earliest convenient available date. If the recall passes, the mayor immediately vacates office. There are two limitations to the recall process. First, no recall petition can be filed until the mayor has been in office for at least six months. Second, the mayor will not be subject to more than one recall. [7]

List of mayors of Austin

Years of serviceMayor
January 1840 – August 1840 [8] Edwin Waller
August 1840 – 1841 Thomas William Ward
1841–1842Moses Johnson
1842–1843 Asa Brigham
1843–1845Joseph W. Robertson
1845–1847James M. Long
1847–1849Jacob M. Harrell
1850–1852Samuel G. Haynie
1852–1853George J. Durham
1853 Thomas William Ward
1853–1854William P. deNormandie
1854–1855 John S. Ford
1855–1856John T. Cleveland
1856–1857Edward R. Peck
1857–1858Thomas F. Sneed
1858–1860Ben F. Carter
1860–1863James W. Smith
1863–1865Samuel G. Haynie
1865–1866 Thomas William Ward
1866–1867William H. Carr
1867–1871Leander Brown
1871–1872John W. Glenn
1872–1877 Thomas Benton Wheeler
1877–1879Jacob Carl DeGress
1879–1881William A. Saylor
1881–1883L. M. Crooker
1883–1884William A. Saylor
1884–1887John W. Robertson
1887–1890Joseph Nalle
1890–1895John McDonald
1896–1897Louis Hancock
1897–1901John Dodd McCall
1901–1905Robert E. White
1905–1907William D. Shelley
1907–1909Frank M. Maddox
1909–1919 Alexander Penn Wooldridge
1919–1926William D. Yett
1926–1933Paul W. McFadden
1933–1949 Tom Miller
1949–1951Taylor Glass
1951–1953William S. Drake, Jr.
1953–1955Charles A. McAden
1955–1961 Tom Miller
1961–1967Lester E. Palmer
1967–1969Harry Akin
1969–1971 Travis LaRue
1971–1975 Roy Butler
1975–1977 Jeffrey M. Friedman
1977 – February 1983 Carole Keeton Rylander
February 1983 – May 1983 (acting) [8] John Treviño Jr.
May 1983 – 1985 Ron Mullen
1985 – June 15, 1988 Frank C. Cooksey
June 15, 1988 – June 15, 1991 C. Lee Cooke
June 15, 1991 – June 15, 1997Bruce Todd
June 15, 1997 – November 9, 2001 [9] Kirk Watson
November 9, 2001 – June 16, 2003 Gustavo L. "Gus" Garcia
June 16, 2003 – June 22, 2009 Will Wynn
June 22, 2009 – January 6, 2015 Lee Leffingwell
January 6, 2015 – January 6, 2023 Steve Adler
January 6, 2023 – Present Kirk Watson

Related Research Articles

A recall election is a procedure by which, in certain polities, voters can remove an elected official from office through a referendum before that official's term of office has ended. Recalls appear in the constitution in ancient Athenian democracy. Even where they are legally available, recall elections are only commonly held in a small number of countries including Peru, Ecuador, and Japan. They are considered by groups such as ACE Electoral Knowledge Network as the most rarely used form of direct democracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Los Angeles</span> Chief executive of Los Angeles

The mayor of Los Angeles is the head of the executive branch of the government of Los Angeles and the chief executive of Los Angeles. The office is officially nonpartisan, a change made in the 1909 charter; previously, both the elections and the office were partisan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Seattle</span>

The Mayor of Seattle is the head of the executive branch of the city government of Seattle, Washington. The mayor is authorized by the city charter to enforce laws enacted by the Seattle City Council, as well as direct subordinate officers in city departments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Texas gubernatorial election</span>

The 2006 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006, to elect the governor of Texas. The election was a rare five-way race, with incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry running for re-election against Democrat Chris Bell and Independents Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Kinky Friedman, as well as Libertarian nominee James Werner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirk Watson</span> American politician

Kirk Preston Watson is an American attorney and politician who has served as the 59th mayor of Austin, Texas, since 2023, previously holding the office as the 54th mayor from 1997 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, he ran unsuccessfully for Texas Attorney General in the 2002 election, when he was defeated by Republican Greg Abbott, later governor of Texas. In 2006, Watson was elected to the Texas Senate from District 14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Detroit</span> Municipal government in Michigan, US

The government of Detroit, Michigan is run by a mayor, the nine-member Detroit City Council, the eleven-member Board of Police Commissioners, and a clerk. All of these officers are elected on a nonpartisan ballot, with the exception of four of the police commissioners, who are appointed by the mayor. Detroit has a "strong mayoral" system, with the mayor approving departmental appointments. The council approves budgets, but the mayor is not obligated to adhere to any earmarking. The city clerk supervises elections and is formally charged with the maintenance of municipal records. City ordinances and substantially large contracts must be approved by the council.

The Plano City Council is the governing body of the City of Plano, Texas, United States. The council operates using the council-manager government. They hold regular meetings at the Plano Municipal Center on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 7 p.m. During the month of July, the meeting dates are revised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Texas gubernatorial election</span>

The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry ran successfully for election to a third consecutive term. He won the Republican primary against U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and political newcomer, Debra Medina. The former mayor of Houston, Bill White, won the Democratic nomination. Kathie Glass, a lawyer from Houston and previous candidate for Texas Attorney General, won the Libertarian nomination. Deb Shafto was the nominee of the Texas Green Party. Andy Barron, an orthodontist from Lubbock, was a declared write-in candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Stothert</span> Mayor of Omaha, Nebraska, United States

Jean Louise Stothert is an American politician and former nurse serving as the 51st mayor of Omaha, Nebraska. She is the first woman to hold the office and was sworn in as Mayor on June 10, 2013. She was re-elected on May 10, 2017, and May 11, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Rodriguez (politician)</span> Texas state legislator

Eduardo Rene Rodriguez is an American politician served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for the 51st district. Elected in November 2002, he assumed office in January 2003 and left office in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celia Israel</span> American politician

Celia Marie Israel is an American politician. She previously represented the 50th district in the Texas House of Representatives and was succeeded by State Representative James Talarico when she chose to run for Austin Mayor. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscar Leeser</span> American politician

Oscar Leeser is an American politician who has served as the 52nd mayor of El Paso, Texas since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 50th mayor from 2013 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Adler (politician)</span> Mayor of Austin, Texas, United States

Stephen Ira Adler is an American lawyer and politician who was the 58th mayor of Austin, Texas from 2015 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 United States elections</span>

The 2019 United States elections were held, in large part, on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. This off-year election included gubernatorial elections in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi; regularly-scheduled state legislative elections in Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia, and New Jersey; and special elections for seats in various state legislatures. Numerous citizen initiatives, mayoral races, and a variety of other local elections also occurred. Three special elections to the United States House of Representatives also took place in 2019 as a result of vacancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Gainesville</span>

The Mayor of Gainesville is, for ceremonially purposes, receipt of service of legal processes and the purposes of military law, official head of the city of Gainesville, Florida and otherwise a member of, and chair of, the city commission, required to preside at all meetings thereof. The mayor is also allowed to vote on all matters that come before the city commission, but has no veto powers.

Gustavo L. "Gus" García was an American politician who served as the second Hispanic mayor of Austin, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 United States elections</span>

The 2021 United States elections were held in large part on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. This off-year election included the regular gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia. In addition, state legislative elections were held for the New Jersey Legislature and Virginia House of Delegates, along with numerous state legislative special elections, citizen initiatives, mayoral races, and a variety of other local elections. Six special elections to the United States House of Representatives also took place on November 2 or earlier as a result of either deaths or vacancies. The first of these was held on March 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin City Council</span> Unicameral legislature of Austin, Texas

The Austin City Council is the unicameral legislature of the city of Austin, Texas, United States of America. The mayor is included as a member of the council and presides over all council meetings and ceremonies. The current mayor of Austin is Kirk Watson. The duty of the council is to decide the city budget, taxes, and various other ordinances. While the council is officially nonpartisan, all but one current council member are affiliated with the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Austin mayoral election</span>

The 2022 Austin mayoral election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the next mayor of Austin, Texas. The election was nonpartisan; candidates' party affiliations did not appear on the ballot. Incumbent mayor Steve Adler was term-limited and could not run for re-election. In the general election, state representative Celia Israel and former mayor Kirk Watson took the first two spots, leading realtor Jennifer Virden and several other candidates. Because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the race proceeded to a runoff election between Israel and Watson on December 13, which Watson won by 30 votes.

The 2024 Austin, Texas municipal elections will take place on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Five city council seats and the mayor have regular elections. All positions are nominally non-partisan, though most candidates choose to affiliate with a party given Austin's strong Democratic lean.

References

  1. Martin, Ken (September 10, 2014). "Budget Gives Stealth Pay Boost". TheAustinBulldog.org. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  2. "New City Council members draw term lengths during inauguration ceremony | AustinTexas.gov - the Official Website of the City of Austin". Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  3. "Austin voters elect Kirk Watson, who served as mayor two decades ago, to lead the city again". December 13, 2022.
  4. "Municode Library". Municode.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  5. "Municode Library". Municode.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  6. "Municode Library". Municode.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  7. "Municode Library". Municode.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "History of Mayors | AustinTexas.gov". www.austintexas.gov. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  9. "What kind of mayor was Watson? - The Austin Bulldog" . Retrieved March 10, 2023.