City election results are now official

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Austin Council on Monday canvassed the ballots of the Nov. 6 general election, making all of the totals official.

Propositions 1-3 will expand Austin City Council from seven to 11 members;  move elections from May to November in even-numbered years, lengthen Council terms from three years to four;  and establish 10 geographic districts for City Council representation, mandating that a council member live within the district that he/she represents, with the mayor still being elected citywide. 

These changes will be submitted to the U.S. Justice Department for approval, officials said.

Proposition 4 was also approved but it will not be enacted.  The proposition called for eight geographical districts, with the Mayor and two Council Members chosen citywide, but the 10-1 plan will be implemented because it received more “yes” votes.

Official elections results:

Proposition 1
Yes: 193,901
No:    59,677

Proposition 2
Yes:  188,883
No:     60,908

Proposition 3
Yes:   146,496
No:      96,999

Proposition 4
Yes:   121,781
No:    116,626

Proposition 5
Approved permitting the City Council and City Council appointees to hire and manage their own staffs. Currently, the staffs are under the direction of the City Manager.

Yes:   135,374
No:    105,886

Proposition 6
Rejected designating the City Council as the entity that appoints the City Attorney.  The City Manager will continue to appoint the City Attorney.

Yes:   117,811
No:    120,826

Proposition 7
Approved reducing the number of signatures needed for a citizen-initiated ordinance or referendum. State law will be used as the basis for the signature requirement (currently 5 percent of a city’s voters or 20,000, whichever is less.)  The City Charter had required at least 10 percent of the City’s voters.

Yes:   131,661
No:    109,648

Proposition 8
Rejected allowing Council Members to fundraise for 30 days after their election.

Yes:   72,771
No:   167,079

Proposition 9
Approved allowing the City Council to lease parkland to an independent school district if the City Council, by two-thirds majority, determines the lease would be for a park purpose.  Previously, the City could not lease parkland without voter approval.

Yes:   157,308
No:      84,919

Proposition 10
Approved proposal to have a civil service system apply to most City employees who are not covered by a State civil service statute.

Yes:   136,830
No:      99,879

Proposition 11
Approved extending State civil service law to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services personnel, joining Austin Fire and Police already under that system.

For:         158,643
Against:    68,544

Bond proposition results:

Proposition 12:  Transportation and Mobility
For:         131,577
Against:  107,233

Proposition 13:  Open Space and Watershed Protection
For :        133,204
Against:  104,853

Proposition 14:  Parks and Recreation
For:       142,553
Against:   98,038

Proposition 15: Housing
For:         114,749
Against:  121,470

Proposition 16:  Public Safety
For:         131,066
Against:  106,078

Proposition 17:  Health and Human Services
For:       143,808
Against:   96,580

Proposition 18: Library, Museum and Cultural Arts Facilities
For 147,554
Against 96,291