After Election Day: what the current Austin council still has to decide, and when a new one takes over

Voters pick five council members on Tuesday, but the council they are replacing has more work to do first. Several of the biggest items of the year are scheduled for the weeks between the election and the new year, when at least two members, Natasha Harper-Madison of District 1 and Paige Ellis of District 8, are leaving. Harper-Madison is term-limited, CBS Austin reported; no incumbent is running in District 8.

Here is the calendar, from our records and city documents.

Nov. 4: Public Health Committee

The committee gets an update on encampment cleanups, discusses the social services overhaul, and considers appointments to the Central Health board. Our preview has details.

Nov. 5: the first meeting after the election

The final agenda, posted Oct. 30, has 34 items, one more than the draft. The summary of changes memo lists one addition, item 34, a fee waiver for a July 4 parade, and edited posting language on item 32, the North Lamar at Beaver Street rezoning. Among the items:

• sending part of the Dog's Head tax zone's revenue to housing and parks;
• up to $695 million in Austin Energy bonds;
• the commercial rent buy-down resolution;
• a hearing on emergency demolitions;
• the Strategic Housing Blueprint update.

Our Nov. 5 guide covers the rest. Speaker registration opens Monday, Nov. 2, at 10 a.m., according to the meeting page.

Nov. 19: Muny and two postponed items

• The Muny deal. The amended Brackenridge agreement with UT, which would keep Lions Municipal Golf Course public, is scheduled for Nov. 19, according to the city. Our latest Muny story explains the package.
• A school's permit appeal. The council postponed to Nov. 19 a hearing on an appeal of the Planning Commission's approval of a conditional use permit for the Girls' School of Austin at 2007 McCall Road.
• A Save Our Springs exception. Staff have asked to move the hearing on a site-specific exception for a child care center at 5811 Southwest Parkway from Nov. 5 to Nov. 19, according to the postponement memo. Our story covers the request.

November and December

• The canvass. The council formally accepts election results at a special meeting. Last year it canvassed the 2025 election on Nov. 17.
• Runoffs. A council candidate needs a majority of votes in the district to win outright. Any runoff would be held in December, as Austin's last runoffs were, with the date set after the canvass.
• Housing rules. Updated regulations allowing two homes on some smaller lots, which the council directed in May, are expected in December, the Austin Chronicle reported.
• Social services. City staff working groups on the social services "reset" are due to finish by the end of December, staff told the Audit and Finance Committee.
• Austin ISD. The district must send the Burnet and Webb petitions to the state by Dec. 1. Our schools story has that timeline.

January: a new council

On Oct. 8, the council approved its 2027 meeting schedule, 11-0, as amended. The draft calendar lists the first regular meeting of 2027 on Jan. 6, with regular meetings on Jan. 7, 14 and 21 cancelled. Because the schedule was amended, check the city's calendar for final dates.

The council's committees also set their 2027 schedules this fall. New members will be assigned to committees after they take office.

What our records show about this council

Most items pass on consent without debate. Our race guides list the incumbents' records: District 3, District 5 and District 9. The open seats are covered in our District 1 and District 8 guides.