AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Austin Mayor Kirk Watson will hold onto his seat for four more years, after narrowly avoiding a runoff in the mayor's race - with the race now apparently finalized more than a week after election day.
The final, unofficial numbers from election officials in Travis, Hays, and Williamson Counties put Watson's final vote total at 175,090 out of 350,151 cast in the race. That's 50.004 percent - just 14 votes above the number needed to avoid a runoff election in the race.
Watson thanked voters for their support in a statement Thursday night.
"I want to thank voters for their confidence in me, and for electing me to serve as Austin mayor for a 4th time," Watson said. "We knew that winning outright, with no runoff, against four opponents in a presidential year would be extraordinary."
Carmen Llanes Pulido came in second in the race, with more than 70,500 votes and 20.14% of the ballots cast. "We owe it to Austinites who have made it clear that they want new and accountable leadership, to ensure that every single vote is accurately counted and every voice is heard," Pulido said.
Former Austin City Council member Kathie Tovo came in third, with 16.64% of the vote; Jeffrey Bowen came in fourth with 8.39%, while Doug Greco came in fifth with just over 4.81% of the votes cast.
While the counties have finished their counting, totals in Travis and Williamson Counties remain unofficial until they are canvassed. That process has already happened in Hays County; under deadlines set by the Texas Secretary of State's office, both counties will need to do that no later than Nov. 19.
