Austin Mayor Steve Adler has his first official challenger in the race for mayor in November.
Former Austin City Council Member Laura Morrison announced in an email Monday that she will run against Adler for the city’s top elected position.
“I’m running for mayor to reset that path that Austin is on, so that our future enhances the quality of life for the people who live here, rather than diminishes it,” she said in the email. “I hear from anxious Austinites from every corner of town, from every income level, and across every walk of life. All of them are worried about Austin’s direction. It’s time for a leader whose priority is the people who live here now. It’s time Austin had a mayor for all of us.”
Morrison served on the City Council from 2008 to 2014. She was expected to run for mayor in 2014, but she declined. She re-entered the political scene during the vote over local ride-hailing regulations by helping to lead Our City, Our Safety, Our Choice, a political action committee that supported stricter regulations for Uber and Lyft.
Adler could not be reached for comment Monday morning.
Five other council seats are up for a reshuffle in November – Districts 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9. Several incumbents have already drawn challengers, including Council Member Ellen Troxclair in District 8 and Council Member Ora Houston in District 1.
The last day a candidate can file to get on the ballot is Aug. 20.
