The Permanent Campaign Ends

Cole, Leffingwell, Martinez, McCracken, Morrison, Shade, Wynn: That's your new-look city council, after what seems like an eternity of elections.

Cid Galindo's campaign sputtered out in the face of Laura Morrison's neighborhood-backed behemoth, which actually picked up votes from the May 10 election while total turnout plummeted. Her party at Waterloo Ice House had attracted some political heavy hitters, including fellow council members Mike Martinez and Lee Leffingwell, former candidates Margot Clarke and Jason Meeker, and local ACLU chief Debbie Russell. Galindo, meanwhile, was consoled by friends and family at Scholz.

There's a handful of factors that should have an impact on the way Austin thinks about its elections. First, as with the Kim/Shade race, how much party affiliation was thrown around in what is supposed to be a non-partisan race? Second were scare tactics about rogue developers and oppressive green taxes that would turn the stomach as excessive in any race.

But, most importantly, it was a rotten, rotten turnout: 21,212 total, down 12,209 from May 10. Yes, it was a run-off, and they are always a small turnout: but both Galindo and Morrison expressed concerns about a system that depends on yet more fund-raising, and an always-pallid get-out-the-vote effort.

Full results after the break.

Final Results: 207 of 207 Precincts Reporting
Laura Morrison: 13,831 (65.20%)
Cid Galindo: 7,381 (34.80%)
Total Votes: 21,212

Early Voting
Morrison 6,064 (60.19%)
Galindo 4,010 (39.81%)
Total Votes: 10,074

Election Day
Morrison: 7,767 (69.73%)
Galindo: 3,371 (30.27%)
Total Votes: 11,138