Austin school board election sees four likely winners, one undecided seat
Early results indicate incumbents and newcomers hold clear leads in four of five contested races, while the at-large seat remains too close to call without a December runoff.
By Robert Ward ·
Four of the five Austin Independent School District trustee races have produced clear early leads, while the At-Large Position 9 contest remains undecided. Unofficial early voting data released by Travis County at 8:37 p.m. on November 3 shows no candidate has secured a majority in that final race.
The district has faced high turnover in previous cycles, but this election marks the first time since 2014 that every AISD trustee race on the ballot was contested. Candace Hunter, the incumbent trustee for District 1, is the only sitting board member seeking reelection. Her participation means at least four new faces will join the nine-member board.
In District 1, Hunter leads challenger Cheryl Bradley with 11,034 votes, or 58.37% of the early total. Bradley has received 7,868 votes, or 41.63%. In District 4, newcomer Jessica Neufeld leads with 17,829 votes, or 59.11%. Tricia Mitchell Kim is second with 8,398 votes, or 27.84%, and Edward Bradfield has 3,936 votes, or 13.05%.
District 6 candidate Sarah Dille holds a strong lead with 14,736 votes, or 60.45%. Alex San Martin is second with 4,839 votes, or 19.85%, and Marie Lebron is third with 4,802 votes, or 19.70%. In District 7, Laurie Solis leads Jimmy Counihan with 16,777 votes, or 59.63%, to Counihan’s 11,357 votes, or 40.37%.
The At-Large Position 9 race is the only contest where a majority has not been reached. Pamela Mathai leads with 74,038 votes, or 44.63%. Cynthia Soliz is close behind with 70,245 votes, or 42.34%. Kirk Becker has 21,611 votes, or 13.03%. Because no candidate has surpassed the 50% threshold, Mathai and Soliz will likely advance to a runoff.
The new board may face state oversight issues regardless of the final vote counts. In August, the Texas Education Agency gave Burnet and Webb middle schools fifth consecutive failing ratings. State law requires the education commissioner to either close those campuses or replace the elected board if the district remains under this status. The runoff for the at-large seat will be held in December, with the specific date set after the November 3 results are fully canvassed.
