ICYMI: Virtual Forums Set For Austin Council Hopefuls

AUSTIN, TX — A pair of virtual candidate forums are scheduled on Monday showcasing council hopefuls headed for a runoff election next month.

The City of Austin and the Ethics Review Commission are partnering with the League of Women Voters Austin Area in sponsoring the forums scheduled at 6 p.m. for candidates in the upcoming runoff elections slated Dec. 15 for Austin City Council District 6 and Council District 10.

The District 6 forum will start at 6 p.m. with council incumbent Jimmy Flannigan and candidate Mackenzie Kelly, followed by the District 10 forum with incumbent Alison Alter and candidate Jennifer Virden. Each District forum will last around 45 minutes to an hour.

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Both events will provide Austin voters an opportunity to listen to candidates express their views so constituents can hear their positions toward making informed voting decisions, organizers said in an advisory. Candidates who are elected will serve four-year terms on the Austin City Council.

This forum will be a friendly debate style for the candidates. People interested in suggesting a question to be asked of the candidates during the forums can email forum@lwvaustin.org or call (512) 451-6710 by noon on Monday. Topics can be both citywide and council district-specific. Questions suggested repeatedly will be considered for inclusion.

Individuals can watch the recorded forums at ATXN.TV (ENG & SPA), cable TV channel 6, and AT&T U-Verse channel 99. The runoff forums will also be available live on KAZI FM 88.7 and by telephone in English (855)-756-7520 Ext.65825#) and Spanish (855)-756-7520 Ext.65826#). Visit AustinTexas.gov/candidateforums to learn more, or call 3-1-1.

For more information about the election process, visit AustinTexas.gov/Elections.

In District 6 — the only district encompassing both Travis County and Williamson County, with 26,473 and 25,978 registered voters, respectively — neither candiate drew the needed majority of the vote to secure a council seat in a four-person race. Flannigan secured 40.2 percent of the vote compared to 33.4 percent for Kelly. In District 10, incumbent Alter secured 32.40 percent of the vote versus 25.43 percent for Virden in a crowded race featuring seven candidates.