2024 Austin mayoral election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2024 Austin mayoral election

| flag_image = Flag of Austin, Texas.svg

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2022 Austin mayoral election

| previous_year = 2022

| next_election = 2028 Austin mayoral election

| next_year = 2028

| election_date = November 5, 2024

| turnout =

| image1 =Watson Groundbreaking 5.3.23 (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 150x150px

| candidate1 = Kirk Watson

| colour1 = c0c0c0

| popular_vote1 = 175,096

| percentage1 = 50.0041%

| image2 = 3x4.svg

| image_size2 = 150x150px

| candidate2 = Carmen Llanes Pulido

| party2 =

| colour2 = c0c0c0

| popular_vote2 = 70,540

| percentage2 = 20.14%

| image4 = Kathie Tovo.png

| candidate4 = Kathie Tovo

| party4 =

| colour4 = c0c0c0

| popular_vote4 = 58,280

| percentage4 = 16.64%

| image5 = 3x4.svg

| image_size5 = 150x150px

| candidate5 = Jeffrey Bowen

| party5 =

| colour5 = c0c0c0

| popular_vote5 = 29,383

| percentage5 = 8.39%

| map_image =

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| title = Mayor

| before_election = Kirk Watson

| after_election = Kirk Watson

}}

The 2024 Austin mayoral election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the next mayor of Austin, Texas.{{Cite web|last=Reader |first=Grace |title=LIST: Who’s running for Austin City Council, mayor in 2024? |work=KXAN-TV |date=December 26, 2023 |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/list-whos-running-for-austin-city-council-mayor-in-2024/ |access-date=January 31, 2024}} The election was nonpartisan; the candidates' party affiliations affiliations did not appear on the ballot. Incumbent mayor Kirk Watson was running for re-election, after returning to the position of mayor following the 2022 election.{{Cite web|last=Price |first=Asher |title=Austin mayoral race heats up |date=January 24, 2024 |work=Axios |url=https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2024/01/24/austin-mayor-election-watson-pulido-tovo |access-date=January 31, 2024}} On November 15, over a week after election day, Watson was declared the apparent winner of the race after securing 50.0041% of the vote. In the final tally, Watson was a mere 13 votes over the cutoff to avoid a runoff with Carmen Llanes Pulido.

Due to the passage of Prop D in 2021, this is the first Austin mayoral election to coincide with a presidential election.{{cite web |title=Props D and E pass, changing how Austin elections work |work=KXAN-TV |date=May 1, 2021 |first=Ashley |last=Miznazi |access-date=November 21, 2021 |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/props-d-e-and-h-could-change-how-austin-elections-work/}}

Candidates

= Declared =

Jeffery Bowen, member of the Austin Board of Adjustment{{Cite web |last=Moreno-Lozano |first=Luz |date=2024-08-20 |title=Jeffery Bowen becomes fifth candidate to enter Austin mayoral race |url=https://www.kut.org/austin/2024-08-20/jeffery-l-bowen-austin-texas-mayor-race-election-2024 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=KUT |language=en}}
Doug Greco, nonprofit executive and author of To Find a Killer (party affiliation: Democratic){{Cite web|last=Moreno-Lozano |first=Luz |title=Doug Greco, former director of Central Texas Interfaith, enters race for Austin mayor |work=KUT |date=February 5, 2024 |url=https://www.kut.org/austin/2024-02-05/doug-greco-former-director-of-central-texas-interfaith-enters-race-for-austin-mayor |access-date=February 5, 2024}}
Carmen Llanes Pulido, former Austin Planning Commission member (party affiliation: Democratic){{Cite web|last=Finnerty |first=Katharine |title=Community organizer Carmen Llanes Pulido enters the Austin mayoral race |work=Spectrum News |date=January 24, 2024 |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2024/01/24/community-organizer-enters-the-austin-mayoral-race |access-date=January 31, 2024}}
Kathie Tovo, former city councilor from the 9th district (2011–2023) (party affiliation: Democratic){{Cite web|last=Moreno-Lozano |first=Luz |title=Former City Council Member Kathie Tovo enters race to become Austin mayor |work=KUT |date=January 19, 2024 |url=https://www.kut.org/austin/2024-01-19/austin-city-council-member-kathie-tovo-mayor-2024-election |access-date=January 31, 2024}}
Kirk Watson, incumbent mayor (party affiliation: Democratic){{cite web|url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2024/04/10/austin-mayor-kirk-watson-seeking-another-term-in-november-vote/73259681007/|title=Austin Mayor Kirk Watson to run for reelection; 4th candidate so far on November ballot|first=Ella|last=McCarthy|date=April 10, 2024|work=Austin American-Statesman}}

Debates

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" \|+ 2024 Austin mayoral election debates
scope="col" \| {{abbr\|No.\|Number}} ! scope="col" \| Date ! scope="col" \| Host ! scope="col" \| Moderator ! scope="col" \| Link ! scope="col"\| Nonpartisan ! scope="col"\| Nonpartisan ! scope="col"\| Nonpartisan ! scope="col"\| Nonpartisan ! scope="col"\| Nonpartisan
colspan="5" rowspan="2" \|Key: {{Colors\|black\|#90ff90\| P }} Participant {{Colors\|black\|#FFFFDD\| A }} Absent {{Colors\|black\|#ff9090\| N }} Not invited {{Colors\|black\|#CCFFCC\| I }} Invited {{color box\|#f0e68c\|W}} Withdrawn ! scope="col" style="background:{{party color\|Nonpartisan politician}}"\| ! scope="col" style="background:{{party color\|Nonpartisan politician}}"\| ! scope="col" style="background:{{party color\|Nonpartisan politician}}"\| ! scope="col" style="background:{{party color\|Nonpartisan politician}}"\| ! scope="col" style="background:{{party color\|Nonpartisan politician}}"\|
scope="col" \| Jeffery Bowen ! scope="col" \| Doug Greco ! scope="col" \| Carmen Pulido ! scope="col" \| Kathie Tovo ! scope="col" \| Kirk Watson
1{{cite web \|title=2024 LBJ Austin Mayoral Forum \|url=https://lbj.utexas.edu/2024-lbj-austin-mayoral-forum \|publisher=Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs \|access-date=28 March 2025}} \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| Sep. 25, 2022 \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs KLRU KUT The Daily Texan Univision Austin \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| Francheska Castillo Luz Moreno-Lozano \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| [https://www.pbs.org/video/atx-decides-2024-mayoral-forum-7hnrvy/ KLRU] \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}}
2{{cite web \|last1=Reader \|first1=Grace \|last2=Russ \|first2=Julianna \|title=WATCH: Replay of Austin mayoral debate \|url=https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-mayor-debate-watch-live-thursday/ \|publisher=KXAN-TV \|access-date=28 March 2025 \|date=17 October 2024}} \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| Oct. 17, 2022 \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| KXAN-TV \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| Tom Miller Jennifer Sanders \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhuz_ZU77rA YouTube] \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ 2024 Austin mayoral election debates

scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Number}}

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Host

! scope="col" | Moderator

! scope="col" | Link

! scope="col"| Nonpartisan

colspan="5" rowspan="2" |Key:
{{Colors|black|#90ff90| P }} Participant {{Colors|black|#FFFFDD| A }} Absent {{Colors|black|#ff9090| N }} Not invited {{Colors|black|#CCFFCC| I }} Invited {{color box|#f0e68c|W}} Withdrawn

! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Nonpartisan politician}}"|

scope="col" | Jeffery Bowen

! scope="col" | Doug Greco

! scope="col" | Carmen Pulido

! scope="col" | Kathie Tovo

! scope="col" | Kirk Watson

1{{cite web |title=2024 LBJ Austin Mayoral Forum |url=https://lbj.utexas.edu/2024-lbj-austin-mayoral-forum |publisher=Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs |access-date=28 March 2025}}

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Sep. 25, 2022

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
KLRU
KUT
The Daily Texan
Univision Austin

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Francheska Castillo
Luz Moreno-Lozano

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | [https://www.pbs.org/video/atx-decides-2024-mayoral-forum-7hnrvy/ KLRU]

| {{Yes|P}}

2{{cite web |last1=Reader |first1=Grace |last2=Russ |first2=Julianna |title=WATCH: Replay of Austin mayoral debate |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-mayor-debate-watch-live-thursday/ |publisher=KXAN-TV |access-date=28 March 2025 |date=17 October 2024}}

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Oct. 17, 2022

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | KXAN-TV

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Tom Miller
Jennifer Sanders

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhuz_ZU77rA YouTube]

| {{Yes|P}}

Results

Following election day, unofficial results from Travis, Williamson and Hays County, with 100% of the precincts reporting, showed incumbent mayor Kirk Watson with 50.01% of the vote and 31 raw votes over the 50% plus one threshold to avoid a runoff with Pulido.{{cite web |title=Election results: Kirk Watson appears to narrowly avoid runoff to win race for Austin mayor |url=https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/vote-texas/election-results-austin-mayor-updates/269-e548d809-f63c-4062-a566-5e617fed0cf0 |website=kvue.com |access-date=7 November 2024 |date=6 November 2024}} At the time, there remained some outstanding ballots yet to be processed, including overseas and military ballots, provisional ballots, and mail-in ballots received the day after election day. On November 13, over a week after election day, the election had still not been called, with an estimated 3,200 provisional ballots yet to be reviewed.{{cite web |title=Why the Austin mayoral race is still too close to call |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/why-the-austin-mayoral-race-is-still-too-close-to-call/ |website=KXAN Austin |access-date=7 November 2024 |date=6 November 2024}}{{cite web |title=When will the Austin mayoral race be called? |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/when-will-the-austin-mayoral-race-be-called/ |website=KXAN Austin |access-date=13 November 2024 |date=11 November 2024}}

On November 15, KXAN declared Watson the apparent winner of the race after the uncertified final tally showed him with 50.0041% of the vote and 14 raw votes over the threshold to avoid a runoff. Subsequently, Watson declared victory in the race, while Pulido refused to concede saying the race remained too close to call. Travis County and Williamson County did a canvas on November 15 and November 19, respectively, while Hays County's results were official by November 15. On November 18, a final batch of 20 provisional ballots were added from Travis County, with Watson 13 votes above the threshold.{{cite web |title=20 Travis County ballots added to election totals Monday night, Watson still on top |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/local/travis-county/20-travis-county-ballots-added-to-election-totals-monday-night-watson-still-on-top/ |website=KXAN Austin |access-date=21 November 2024 |date=19 November 2024}} The deadline, according to the Texas Secretary of State, for the posts to be finalized was November 19.{{cite web |last1=McCarthy |first1=Ella |title=Kirk Watson declares victory in mayoral race while Carmen Llanes Pulido holds out hope |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2024/11/14/watson-declares-victory-austin-mayoral-race-carmen-llanes-pulido/76314532007/ |website=Austin American-Statesman |access-date=15 November 2024}}{{cite web |title=Mayor Kirk Watson apparent winner in Austin mayoral race |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/mayor-kirk-watson-apparent-winner-in-austin-mayoral-race/ |website=KXAN Austin |access-date=15 November 2024 |date=15 November 2024}}

On November 21, Pulido requested a recount of 11 specific precincts in Williamson County, but her request was refused because state law demands the recount to be of the entire jurisdiction rather than select parts.{{cite web |title=Carmen Llanes Pulido requests recount in Austin mayoral race, petition ‘defective’ |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/carmen-llanes-pulido-requests-recount-in-austin-mayoral-race/ |website=KXAN Austin |access-date=25 November 2024 |date=21 November 2024}} On November 22, Pulido conceded the race and said she would not be pursuing a recount or any further actions challenging the outcome.{{cite web |title=Austin mayoral candidate Carmen Llanes Pulido drops recount pursuit, concedes race |url=https://www.kut.org/austin/2024-11-22/austin-mayoral-candidate-carmen-llanes-pulido-drops-recount-pursuit-concedes-race |website=KUT Radio, Austin's NPR Station |language=en |date=22 November 2024}}

{{Election box begin no party no change| title= November 5 general election results}}