Filing opens for local offices

Published 9:52 am Wednesday, May 19, 2010

On the first day of the election filing period, the city’s most high profile office pulled two candidates into the fold.

As expected, incumbent Mayor Tom Stiehm filed paperwork to launch his re-election campaign Tuesday. Challenging him in the race is Marian Clennon, the 3rd Ward city councilwoman who also filed Tuesday.

Clennon, who still has two years left in her council term, said previously that she wants to see a mayor who is more involved with community members and does a better job of citizen outreach.

Email newsletter signup

“I don’t want to say the current mayor is doing anything wrong,” she said in an earlier interview. “I just see that I could do things differently.”

Stiehm, a retired Austin police detective seeking his third term as mayor, said Clennon is his “polar opposite” — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“If you have someone else run, you want them to be different,” the mayor said previously. “(The vote) just depends on which way people want to go.”

In 2008, the people of Austin went for Stiehm, though barely. He edged out challenger and local business owner Mark Nagle by just 41 votes. A third candidate was eliminated during a primary election.

Three other city offices also drew candidates Tuesday — councilman Dick Pacholl filed to run again in Ward 2, Janet Anderson launched a reelection bid for the role of council member at-large, and Jeff Austin put his name into the Ward 1 race.

Pacholl would remain the elder statesman of City Council if he won in November — he has been on council for 20 of the last 28 years.

Anderson is a relatively fresh face — she started on council two years ago after many years of volunteering in Austin, including work with her husband Scott at the Paramount Theater.

Austin said as recently as Monday that he was undecided about running again, but he is now seeking a second term. Austin is the grandson of Wayne Austin, who served as 1st Ward councilman from 1951 to 1963.

One other council spot — John Martin’s 3rd Ward seat — is up for election Nov. 2. Martin said Monday that he intends on running again.

The city filing period ends June 1.

For those looking to throw their names into the hat before then, City Hall, located at 500 Fourth Ave. NE, is the place to go. Filing for any city office costs $25. In addition to the council spots and the mayoral seat, two positions on the Austin Utilities board are open as well.