The votes are in and Mayor Kirk Watson has won a fourth term as Austin’s mayor.
Watson beat out four challengers, and just barely avoided a runoff against Carmen Llanes Pulido, who got the second-most votes in the race. Watson declared victory Thursday night after votes were counted in Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties nine days after Election Day.
In a statement on X late Thursday, Watson said, “I want to thank voters for their confidence in me, and for electing me to serve as Austin mayor for a 4th time. We knew that winning outright, with no runoff, against four opponents in a presidential year would be extraordinary. Well, we did it.”
Reached Thursday night, Llanes Pulido said she was not yet ready to concede the race. While all votes have been unofficially tallied, they have not all been canvassed — a process that must be complete by Nov. 19.
"Given that results are unofficial at this point, and the margin is so small, I am waiting to see an official tally from the three counties to declare a position," Llanes Pulido said. "We owe it to Austinites who have made it clear that they want new and accountable leadership, to ensure that every single vote is accurately counted and every voice is heard."
Watson has been serving as mayor since January 2023, and will now serve a four-year term that begins in January. Watson was first elected mayor of Austin in 1997 and again in 2000, then stepped down to run unsuccessfully for attorney general. He then was elected to serve as a Texas senator for 13 years.
