Austin's Runoff Clock: Register by Thursday, Canvass on Nov. 17, Early Voting Nov. 30 to Dec. 8
Three City Council districts vote again on Dec. 12 — and the first deadline is Thursday, the last day to register for the runoff. The full clock, from the Nov. 17 canvass to the Dec. 1 mail-ballot deadline, is inside.
Austinites in three City Council districts will vote again on Dec. 12, and the runoff clock starts this week: Thursday, Nov. 12 is the last day to register to vote in the runoff, according to the City of Austin's runoff election calendar — a deadline that falls before the election is even canvassed, so voters who need to register should not wait.
The three runoffs come out of the Nov. 3 general election. In District 1, Amber Goodwin and Misael Ramos advanced from a six-candidate field for the open seat. In District 3, incumbent José Velásquez faces Neha Shah. In District 5, incumbent Ryan Alter, who led the first round with 47.77 percent, faces David Weinberg, who took 26.18 percent, according to the Austin Current's report of the unofficial Travis County results. All results remain unofficial until they are canvassed.
The City Council is scheduled to canvass the Nov. 3 municipal election at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 301 W. Second St., and to order the runoffs at that meeting; the actual canvass date could come earlier, pending the counties' returns. A runoff candidate panel is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
If the runoffs are ordered as expected, early voting by personal appearance runs Nov. 30 through Dec. 8, and a ballot-by-mail application must be received by Dec. 1 — received, not merely postmarked. Election Day is Saturday, Dec. 12, the date the Texas Secretary of State set for all runoffs from the Nov. 3 uniform election under Section 2.025 of the Election Code. The winners will serve four-year terms beginning in January.
