Mayor of Austin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of Austin |
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Flag of the City of Austin
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 Kirk Watson since January 6, 2023 |
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| Residence | Private residence |
| Term length | Four years renewable once |
| Inaugural holder | Edwin Waller |
| Formation | 1840 |
| Salary | $134,191 |
The mayor of Austin is the main leader of the city of Austin in the U.S. state of Texas. Think of the mayor as the city's top elected official, like a president for the city. The mayor's job was created in 1840, shortly after Austin became an official city in 1839. The mayor is elected for a four-year term and can serve a maximum of two terms.
Kirk Watson is the current mayor. He started his second term on January 6, 2023. He was also mayor from 1997 to 2001.
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What Does the Mayor Do?
Austin has a special way of running its city government called a council-manager system. This means that the everyday tasks of running the city, like managing services and staff, are handled by a professional called the city manager.
The mayor is the official head of the city government. They lead city meetings and are a member of the city council. The mayor can vote on all matters that the city council discusses. However, the mayor does not have the power to stop (or veto) decisions made by the council.
As of the 2022-2023 financial year, the mayor's yearly salary is $134,191.
How is the Mayor Elected?
The mayor is chosen by people voting in a citywide election. These elections happen every four years in even-numbered years. The elections are non-partisan, meaning candidates do not run as members of a political party like Democrats or Republicans.
To win, a candidate must receive more than half of all the votes (a majority). If no candidate gets a majority, the two candidates with the most votes have a second election, called a run-off election.
What Happens if the Mayor Can't Serve?
If the mayor is away or unable to do their job, another official called the Mayor Pro Tem steps in. The Mayor Pro Tem acts as mayor until the mayor returns or a new election is held to fill the empty spot.
Can a Mayor Be Removed from Office?
Yes, registered voters can try to remove the mayor from office through a process called a recall election. This happens if a special petition is signed by at least 10 percent of the city's registered voters.
If enough valid signatures are collected, a recall election is scheduled as soon as possible. If the voters choose to recall the mayor, the mayor must leave office right away. There are two main rules for this process:
- A recall petition cannot be started until the mayor has been in office for at least six months.
- A mayor can only face one recall attempt during their term.
Who Has Been Mayor of Austin?
Here is a list of the people who have served as mayor of Austin:
| Years of service | Mayor |
|---|---|
| January 1840 – August 1840 | Edwin Waller |
| August 1840 – 1841 | Thomas William Ward |
| 1841–1842 | Moses Johnson |
| 1842–1843 | Asa Brigham |
| 1843–1845 | Joseph W. Robertson |
| 1845–1847 | James M. Long |
| 1847–1849 | Jacob M. Harrell |
| 1850–1852 | Samuel G. Haynie |
| 1852–1853 | George J. Durham |
| 1853 | Thomas William Ward |
| 1853–1854 | William P. deNormandie |
| 1854–1855 | John S. Ford |
| 1855–1856 | John T. Cleveland |
| 1856–1857 | Edward R. Peck |
| 1857–1858 | Thomas F. Sneed |
| 1858–1860 | Ben F. Carter |
| 1860–1863 | James W. Smith |
| 1863–1865 | Samuel G. Haynie |
| 1865–1866 | Thomas William Ward |
| 1866–1867 | William H. Carr |
| 1867–1871 | Leander Brown |
| 1871–1872 | John W. Glenn |
| 1872–1877 | Thomas Benton Wheeler |
| 1877–1879 | Jacob Carl DeGress |
| 1879–1881 | William A. Saylor |
| 1881–1883 | L. M. Crooker |
| 1883–1884 | William A. Saylor |
| 1884–1887 | John W. Robertson |
| 1887–1890 | Joseph Nalle |
| 1890–1895 | John McDonald |
| 1896–1897 | Louis Hancock |
| 1897–1901 | John Dodd McCall |
| 1901–1905 | Robert E. White |
| 1905–1907 | William D. Shelley |
| 1907–1909 | Frank M. Maddox |
| 1909–1919 | Alexander Penn Wooldridge |
| 1919–1926 | William D. Yett |
| 1926–1933 | Paul W. McFadden |
| 1933–1949 | Tom Miller |
| 1949–1951 | Taylor Glass |
| 1951–1953 | William S. Drake, Jr. |
| 1953–1955 | Charles A. McAden |
| 1955–1961 | Tom Miller |
| 1961–1967 | Lester E. Palmer |
| 1967–1969 | Harry Akin |
| 1969–1971 | Travis LaRue |
| 1971–1975 | Roy Butler |
| 1975–1977 | Jeffrey M. Friedman |
| 1977 – February 1983 | Carole Keeton Rylander |
| February 1983 – May 1983 (acting) | John Treviño Jr. |
| May 1983 – 1985 | Ron Mullen |
| 1985 – June 15, 1988 | Frank C. Cooksey |
| June 15, 1988 – June 15, 1991 | C. Lee Cooke |
| June 15, 1991 – June 15, 1997 | Bruce Todd |
| June 15, 1997 – November 9, 2001 | Kirk Watson |
| November 9, 2001 – June 16, 2003 | Gustavo L. "Gus" Garcia |
| June 16, 2003 – June 22, 2009 | Will Wynn |
| June 22, 2009 – January 6, 2015 | Lee Leffingwell |
| January 6, 2015 – January 6, 2023 | Steve Adler |
| January 6, 2023 – Present | Kirk Watson |
