Description
Book SynopsisUntil recently, Austin, the progressive, politically liberal capital of Texas, elected its city council using a not-so-progressive system. Candidates competed citywide for seats, and voters could cast ballots for as many candidates as there were seats up for election. However, this approach disadvantages the representation of geographically-concentrated minority groups, thereby—among other things—preventing the benefits of growth from reaching all of the city’s communities.
Reinventing the Austin City Council explores the puzzle that was Austin’s reluctance to alter its at-large system and establish a geographically-based, single-member district system. Ann Bowman chronicles the repeated attempts to change the system, the eventual decision to do so, and the consequences of that change. In the process, she explores the many twists and turns that occurred in Austin as it struggled to design a fair system of representation. Reinventing the Austin
Trade Review
“This is a deeply researched yet readable analysis of Austin’s shift in city council composition. Austinites will recognize the players and positions, but the interested reader will find much to ponder as well. The impact of Austin’s new governance structure is still evolving—and this book is essential for understanding it.”—Annise Parker, former Mayor of Houston
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Best Place to Live in America?
1. How Austin Became the City It Is Today . . . and What the City Council Had to Do with It
2 .Austin and the Long Road to City Council Districts
3. The Impact of Council Electoral Change
Conclusion: Looking below the Surface . . . and Forward
Notes
Bibliography
Index
