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Running for Austin City Council? The Time to File is Here

Bryan Winter/KUT
Earlier this month, crews began renovating the dais in City Hall in order to fit 11 council members. The filing period to run for council this fall opened this week.

Austin City Council hopefuls are trickling into City Hall to file for a place on the ballot.

The application period, opened yesterday, goes through August 18. While currently just a handful of people have filed, the election is generating excitement that's hard to come by in local politics

Jannette Goodall is Austin's City Clerk. But if you didn't know that, you'd think she's a wedding planner – for months, Goodall and her staff have been prepping for this moment. "You're kind of planning for the big ball, you know? It's kind of fun," she says.

Although few candidates have filed so far, Goodall is expecting between 50 and 60 to do so. Those are historic numbers.

Those who have filed are giddy with excitement. Goodall has heard candidates say things like "because of the districts I now have a really good fighting chance [to be elected]."

Mike Kanin, editor of KUT's City Hall reporting partner the Austin Monitor, is excited too. He says it's like hearing the market's "opening bell."

In this election cycle, following the money makes things exciting. Take District Three for instance. "You've got [campaigns with] moderate five figures, [around] $12,000, $11,000 for each campaign. And then, in District 10 you've got [campaigns with] six figures, money flying everywhere."

KUT and the Austin Monitor are tracking City Hall candidates on our Hall Monitor website.

Texas Standard reporter Joy Diaz has amassed a lengthy and highly recognized body of work in public media reporting. Prior to joining Texas Standard, Joy was a reporter with Austin NPR station KUT on and off since 2005. There, she covered city news and politics, education, healthcare and immigration.
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