AUSTIN, Texas — With provisional ballots now counted in the mayoral runoff election, Austin Mayor-elect Kirk Watson has won Travis County by 30 votes.
On election night, Dec. 13, Watson trailed opponent Celia Israel in the county by 17 votes. But Watson was projected to win the race after getting 62% of the vote among city of Austin voters in Williamson County, bringing him to the lead by 886 votes on election night.
With his win in Travis County, Watson can now claim victory in all three city of Austin counties – Travis, Williamson and Hays. Watson beat Israel in the runoff election by less than 1,000 votes.
“Isn't it amazing how close an election?” Watson told KVUE’s Jenni Lee. “It just goes to show how every vote does count … Look, we're best as a city when we're all together … I respect what many of the voters were looking for in the message that my opponent had, and it's a message that I have had for a long, long time, and that is that we need to have a city that focuses on equity and inclusivity and diversity. But what I hope I will be able to do is recognize that we all have one thing absolutely in common, and that is that we love this city and we have that in common. I think we'll be fine and we'll be able to meet the challenges and come together as a city."
Just under 18% of registered Travis County voters participated in the mayoral runoff.
Watson served as Austin's mayor from 1997 to 2001. He will replace Mayor Steve Adler, who couldn't run again because he had reached his term limit.
The Austin City Council will canvass the results on Wednesday, Dec. 21.