Watch Live: KXAN hosts Austin mayoral debate Thursday
AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN will host a live, hourlong debate with all five Austin mayoral candidates Thursday ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
LIST: Who's running for Austin City Council, mayor in 2024?
You can watch the debate live in this story or on KXAN News at 4 p.m.
Once the debate starts, stick with this story for live blog updates and analysis.
How to watch
The debate will broadcast live on KXAN News from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
That debate will be livestreamed in this story starting at 4 p.m.
KXAN's City Hall Reporter and "Inside Austin's Agenda" host Grace Reader will host a separate live stream with fact-checking and additional context on the debate in real-time. That stream will start around 3:30 p.m. You can find that stream in this story, as well.
What's the setup/rules?
Moderators will be KXAN anchors Jennifer Sanders and Tom Miller
There will be no opening statements to allow more time for candidates to share their specific ideas with voters
Each candidate will have 60 seconds to answer initial questions directed toward them
If a follow-up or rebuttal is needed, moderators will give a candidate 30 seconds to respond
Moderators may allow another 15-second answer if they determine a clarification is needed
Candidates will be given a 30-second closing statement
Meet the candidates
There are five people on your ballot to become Austin's next mayor: Carmen Llanes Pulido, Jeffery Bowen, Doug Greco, incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson and Kathie Tovo. All of them have RSVPed for our debate.
The information on candidates below is in the order you'll see the candidates on your ballot.
Carmen Llanes Pulido
On Jan. 23, Carmen Llanes Pulido announced her intentions to run for Austin mayor.
According to a release from her campaign, Llanes Pulido "has been a leading voice" in underserved Austin communities working with GAVA (Go! Austin/¡Vamos! Austin) and as a member of the planning commission.
Llanes Pulido is the executive director for GAVA.
One-on-one with Austin mayoral candidate Carmen Llanes Pulido
"Many Austinites from diverse backgrounds have asked me to step up and run for office," Llanes Pulido said in the release. "There is a real craving for honest representation and common-sense solutions. People see a lack of transparency and a genuine problem with the influence that wealthy special interests wield. We need leadership that listens to the needs of people from all ends of the economic spectrum."
