Return to Place 3

With election night's results formally canvassed last week and a run-off officially set for June 18, the race for Place 3 continues. Incumbent Randi Shade, facing a near rout (33% to 46%), has promised to draw sharp distinctions between herself and challenger Kathie Tovo, who dominated election night results (albeit in a contest with dramatically low turnout, of about 7.4% of the registered voters). Both candidates are hoping for more vigorous voter response in the run-off, and both are working hard to extend their campaign efforts for another three weeks – although in the interim, the campaign news was initially dominated by sign controversies, dueling ethics complaints, and endorsement salvos.

To provide a more thorough preview of the run-off, we decided to invite the candidates to draw, at some length, their own distinctions, highlight campaign priorities, and discuss their records themselves, in two wide-ranging discussions with the Chronicle. We've excerpted those conversations for our print editions, with the full transcriptions posted online with this story.

We spoke with Council Member Shade at her Clarksville home on Friday, May 20, the day after she announced she would stay in the race for Place 3. In her announcement, she said she would be outlining the differences between herself and Tovo on several issues: water resources, public safety, and land use, among other things. That's where we began in our conversation the next day.

We met with Tovo at her Central Austin campaign office the same Friday, delving into her work on the Families and Children Task Force, Austin ISD committees, and the Planning Commission. We also addressed her positions on growth and sustainability issues and her overall call for "a change in direction" at City Hall.

Here they are: the Place 3 candidates for City Council, in their own words.