Austin Mayor Kirk Watson was confirmed as the winner of the mayoral race after the final vote tally was posted on Monday night, following the inclusion of 75 provisional ballots. Despite having a commanding lead of over 100,000 votes, Watson needed more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff, and after the provisional ballots were added, he was above the threshold by just 13 votes.
The final election results were canvassed and certified by the Austin City Council on Tuesday, officially making Watson the winner of the mayoral race.
The additional ballots were discovered during the final stage of the election process when voter registration staff were entering provisional ballot history on November 15. The 75 provisional ballots had not completed the verification process, which was corrected after proper notification and consultation with the Secretary of State. A spokesperson for the Travis County Tax Assessor’s office emphasized that the issue was resolved, ensuring that all eligible votes were counted and reinforcing confidence in the election process.
As for Carmen Llanes Pulido, who finished in second place, she has not yet decided whether she will request a recount. The deadline for a recount request is Thursday at 2 p.m., and Llanes Pulido would need to submit a deposit for the recount cost. If the recount doesn’t alter the outcome, she would be responsible for the expense. However, Llanes Pulido’s campaign finance report showed only $5,000 in funds as of the final month of the race.