AUSTIN, Texas – Former Austin City Council member Laura Morrison has announced her run for mayor of Austin.
Morrison will be running alongside current Mayor Steve Adler in November. If she wins, Morrison would be the first woman since 1983 to serve as the city’s mayor.
Serving two terms on the City Council, Morrison was elected in both 2008 and 2011.
"I’m running for mayor to reset that path that Austin is on, so that our future enhances the quality of life for the people who live here, rather than diminishes it," Morrison said. "I hear from anxious Austinites from every corner of town, from every income level, and across every walk of life. All of them are worried about Austin’s direction."
During her time on the City Council, Morrison made affordability and neighborhood preservation her top priorities. She is also known for working with technology innovators, and aspiring for transparency in the government.
Adler declined to comment on specific issues Monday, but he welcomed opponents to the race.
"We have some challenges, so I am eager to get back out on the campaign trail and to continue fighting for this city," Adler said.
Morrison is also a board member of both Housing Works Austin and Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, or ECHO. She is also a member of the Austin Film Society, and “My Pool, My Park, My City” Advisory Committee.
"It’s time for a leader whose priority is the people who live here now," said Morrison.
Her formal campaign will kick off in February.