Voters Choose Gordon, Saldaña, Pace in Trustee Runoff Election

Voters elected Edmund “Ted” Gordon, Paul Saldaña and Kendall Pace as the three newest members of the Austin ISD Board of Trustees.

Today’s runoff election decided the races in geographical districts 1 and 6, and the District 9 at-large position. Those candidates faced each other in a runoff after none earned 50 percent or more of the vote in the Nov. 4 general election. 

According to unofficial results from Travis County:

  • District 1—Edmund "Ted" Gordon (55.91 percent), David Thompson (44.09 percent)
  • District 6—Paul Saldaña (53.17 percent), Kate Mason-Murphy (46.83 percent) 
  • District 9, at-large position—Kendall Pace (65.05 percent), Hillary Procknow (34.95 percent)

A total of 64,408 votes were cast in the runoff, representing 15.54 percent of registered voters; 23,851 of those votes came on election day. 

All results are unofficial until votes have been canvassed by the Elections Division of the Travis County Clerk’s Office and the canvass has been approved by the board. Trustees are scheduled to approve the canvassing at a special board meeting Dec. 24.

Five seats had been open on the board. In the Nov. 4 election, Robert Schneider was re-elected to his District 7 seat and Julie Cowan won the race for the District 4 position.

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees is made up of nine members who serve four-year terms. 

Austin ISD board members are unpaid representatives who guide the district and represent community expectations as they plan the direction of educational programs and services.

Trustees establish policies for operating the district and ensuring its financial viability. The board also employs the superintendent, approves the budget and monitors expenditures, sets the tax rate, and may call for a bond or tax rate election.