Austin City Council today, Tuesday Feb. 9, ordered special elections and agreed on ballot language for eight propositions. The elections will take place on May 1, 2021.

Charter amendment regarding binding arbitration

Proposition A: Shall the City Charter be amended to give the Austin Firefighters Association, Local 975 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, the authority to require the City to participate in binding arbitration of all issues in dispute with the Association if the City and the Association reach impasse in collective bargaining negotiations?

City Code amendment to prohibit certain activities

Proposition B*: Shall an ordinance be adopted that would create a criminal offense and a penalty for sitting or lying down on a public sidewalk or sleeping outdoors in and near the Downtown area and the area around the University of Texas campus; create a criminal offense and penalty for solicitation, defined as requesting money or another thing of value, at specific hours and locations or for solicitation in a public area that is deemed aggressive in manner; create a criminal offense and penalty for camping in any public area not designated by the Parks and Recreation Department?

Charter amendment regarding Director of Police Oversight

Proposition C: Shall the city charter be amended to allow for a Director of Police Oversight to be appointed or removed in a manner established by City Council ordinance, with duties that include the responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability as it relates to policing?

Charter amendment to change date of mayoral elections

Proposition D: Shall the City Charter be amended to transition the election for mayor from gubernatorial election years to presidential election years, providing that the mayor elected in 2022 will serve a 2-year term and then mayoral elections will occur on the same date as presidential elections starting in 2024?

Charter amendment to create ranked choice voting for city elections

Proposition E: Shall the City Charter be amended to provide for the use of ranked choice voting in city elections, if such voting is permitted by state law?
 
Charter amendment to change from a council-manager form of government

Proposition F: Shall the City Charter be amended to change the form of city government from ‘council-manager’ to ‘strong mayor-council,’ which will eliminate the position of professional city manager and designate an elected mayor as the chief administrative and executive officer of the city with veto power over all legislation which includes the budget; and with sole authority to hire and fire most department heads and direct staff; and with no articulated or stated charter authority to require the mayor to implement Council decisions.
 
Charter amendment to add a geographic council district

Proposition G: Shall the City Charter be amended to provide for an additional geographic council district which will result in 11 council members elected from single member districts?

Charter amendment to adopt voluntary public campaign finance program

Proposition H: Shall the City Charter be amended to adopt a public campaign finance program, which requires the city clerk to provide up to two $25 vouchers to every registered voter who may contribute them to candidates for city office who meet the program requirements?

*Note: The ballot language for Proposition B was amended by Austin City Council on March 2, 2021. The language posted here incorporates those amendments.