Austin Board of Realtors has issued the following press release:
Austin is facing a pivotal moment, and the upcoming November election provides our community the opportunity to determine who will help shape our city’s future. With home prices continuing to set new all-time records each month, Austin needs a proven leader who will prioritize housing affordability, pursue meaningful policy changes to reduce barriers to housing, and will help our community take the necessary steps to change the trajectory of our housing market and increase housing inventory.
Today, we are proud to announce that the Austin Board of REALTORS® has endorsed Kirk Watson to become Austin’s next Mayor. Throughout his distinguished career of public service, Kirk has proven he can bring people together to make meaningful change. He consistently supported REALTOR® issues as a Texas State Senator, and as a mayoral candidate his policy priorities align with ABoR’s Public Policy Priorities – property rights, strategic land use, and business issues and practices. If Kirk is elected as the next mayor of Austin, he will be an advocate for REALTORS®, the real estate industry, and homeowners.
This decision was not made lightly. We know that the viewpoints, beliefs, and ideologies of our membership are as diverse as Austin. This endorsement comes after following our formal candidate interviews and endorsement process designed to evaluate candidates based on their positions on REALTOR® issues and issues affecting the real estate industry and private property rights (more information below).
We want to thank all of our dedicated volunteer members who participated in this process, including members of the Austin City Council Interview Panel and our Legislative Management Team. Through our endorsement of Kirk Watson for Austin Mayor, we are honoring one of the pillars of ABoR’s Strategic Plan, which is to Advocate for the Community by expanding and deepening our government affairs initiatives and member engagement in advocacy and the electoral process.
Over the coming months leading up to the November 8 election, you can anticipate additional information on all ABoR-endorsed candidates as they are announced. We hope you will consider supporting the candidates your colleagues have identified as those best suited to serve the needs of the real estate industry, with the strength to work through the significant challenges facing our region.
Please take a few minutes to make sure both you and your clients are registered to vote by visiting www.votetexas.gov. Texans must be registered by Tuesday, October 11 to vote in the November general election.
Best Regards,
Austin Board of REALTORS® Board of Directors
How are ABoR-Endorsed Candidates Selected?
ABoR’s Austin City Council Candidate Interview Panel, which is an appointed group of REALTOR® volunteers, interviews candidates running for local office, reviews candidates responses to ABoR’s candidate questionnaire, and provides recommendations on any potential endorsements to ABoR’s Legislative Management Team. Based on this information, the LMT makes candidate endorsement recommendations to the ABoR Board of Directors who make the final decision on any candidate endorsements. This is the endorsement process that was followed for endorsing Kirk Watson for Mayor of Austin.