Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

City Council Member, District 5

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

City of Austin
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked4-way race
Liz BrinkNonpartisan
David WeinbergDavid WeinbergNonpartisan
Ryan AlterRyan AlterNonpartisan Incumbent
Farrah AbrahamNonpartisan
On ballot as
Liz Brink
David Weinberg
Ryan Alter
Farrah Abraham
Current role
Union electrician
Democratic Precinct Chair, Travis County Precinct 307 (describes himself as a full-time candidate)
Austin City Council Member, District 5 (elected 2022; term Jan. 6, 2023 through Jan. 6, 2027)
Self-employed business owner (per her Community Impact Q&A)
Background
  • Licensed master electrician (per campaign)
  • Born and raised in District 5 (per campaign)
  • District 5 resident, 17 years (per campaign)
  • Engineering degree, UT Austin (per his City of Austin biography)
  • Harvard Law School graduate (per the same biography)
  • Lifelong Austin-area resident (per the same biography)
  • Lives in South Austin (per the same biography)
  • Former reality television star, known for "Teen Mom" (per FOX 7 Austin)
  • UT-Austin certified paralegal (per candidate)
  • South Austin mother (per candidate)
Experience
  • 15+ years running and managing panel and prefab shops (per candidate)
  • Led the Texas League of Conservation Voters for six years (per campaign)
  • Brennan Center for Justice, Texas voting rights work, four years (per campaign)
  • Former chief of staff, New York State Assembly member Linda B. Rosenthal
  • Helped lead a 2023 grassroots campaign against the Zilker Park Vision Plan (per campaign)
  • Former Capitol staff member, Senators Kirk Watson, Sylvia Garcia and Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (per his City of Austin biography)
  • 18+ years running small businesses (per candidate)
Top priorities
  • "To give the residents a voice in city council & bring transparency and accountability to the seat."
  • "We should move away from the housing-first policy and move more towards a treatment-first policy. We need to enforce the camping ban."
  • Campaign site: "Limit tax increases. Spend wisely."
  • Campaign site: "Independent audits. Strong oversight."
  • "I will prioritize listening to residents, providing excellent constituent service, and making real progress on affordability, public safety, and improving parks, public schools, and public amenities."
  • "We need a real audit of city spending and find ways to do more with less."
  • Homelessness: "Services need to be distributed across the city."
  • "We need to do more to provide true affordable housing for working families while preserving the character of neighborhoods."
  • "Four years ago, I ran to make Austin more affordable, and we've made real progress."
  • "Every tax dollar should be treated as someone's hard-earned money."
  • "Preventing homelessness is the cheapest and most effective tool we have, and I believe we should be using it more."
  • Campaign site: "Safe communities don't just respond to emergencies, they prevent them."
  • "My top priority is keeping our neighborhoods safe by stabilizing emergency response times, supporting local first responders, and ensuring every family feels secure in their home."
  • "I support stabilizing property taxes or removing them as higher government mentioned to protect long-term homeowners and local business owners."
  • Homelessness: "Combining shelter with real mental health care and addiction recovery"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "I would want an in-depth audit of all city spending before asking the taxpayers for more money"
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Density housing projects should work within a neighborhood, not drastically change it."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "Fix our roads, our drainage, our grid."
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "Keep our neighborhoods safe and back the men and women who answer the call"
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We need a real audit of city spending and find ways to do more with less."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We need to do more to provide true affordable housing for working families while preserving the character of neighborhoods."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site, on housing growth: "accounting for environmental constraints like flooding risk and impervious cover, as well as infrastructure capacity"
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "I believe the Austin Police Department must be adequately staffed and deployed in a way that ensures consistent public safety across all neighborhoods"
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Every tax dollar should be treated as someone’s hard-earned money. That’s why we initiated an efficiency audit, so we don’t have to keep asking you for more."
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "Everyone deserves housing they can afford and to not be pushed out by rising costs."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site lists "Stormwater improvements in D5" among his results
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "Violent crime can be prevented if we continue to make smart investments in community-level programs like these."
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "I support stabilizing property taxes or removing them as higher government mentioned to protect long-term homeowners and local business owners."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A on housing policy: "Current policies leave out 1099 freelancers, creators, and gig workers"
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: In a Community Impact Q&A: "My top priority is keeping our neighborhoods safe by stabilizing emergency response times, supporting local first responders, and ensuring every family feels secure in their home."
Endorsements
None found in our research
None found in our research
  • Austin Central Labor Council
  • Mayor Kirk Watson (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, D2 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Jose Velasquez, D3 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Chito Vela, D4 (listed by campaign)
Show all 30
  • Council Member Krista Laine, D6 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Mike Siegel, D7 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Paige Ellis, D8 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Zo Qadri, D9 (listed by campaign)
  • County Judge Andy Brown (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner Jeff Travillion, Pct. 1 (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner Brigid Shea, Pct. 2 (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner Ann Howard, Pct. 3 (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner George Morales, Pct. 4 (listed by campaign)
  • Constable Gabe Padilla, Pct. 4 (listed by campaign)
  • Constable Carlos Lopez, Pct. 5 (listed by campaign)
  • Representative Sheryl Cole, D46 (listed by campaign)
  • Representative Vikki Goodwin, D47 (listed by campaign)
  • Representative John Bucy, D136 (listed by campaign)
  • Austin Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 975 (listed by campaign)
  • AFSCME Local 1624 (listed by campaign)
  • AURA (listed by campaign)
  • Austin EMS Association (listed by campaign)
  • Austin Young Democrats (listed by campaign)
  • Education Austin (listed by campaign)
  • Liberal Austin Democrats (listed by campaign)
  • LiUNA Local 1095 (listed by campaign)
  • Sierra Club (listed by campaign)
  • Tejano Democrats Austin (listed by campaign)
  • University Democrats (listed by campaign)
None found in our research
Campaign website
lizbrinkatx.com
davidforatx.com
ryanforatx.com
district-5-farrahabraham-46qkv8t.gamma.site

Liz Brink

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Liz Brink
Current role
Union electrician
Background
  • Licensed master electrician (per campaign)
  • Born and raised in District 5 (per campaign)
Experience
  • 15+ years running and managing panel and prefab shops (per candidate)
Top priorities
  • "To give the residents a voice in city council & bring transparency and accountability to the seat."
  • "We should move away from the housing-first policy and move more towards a treatment-first policy. We need to enforce the camping ban."
  • Campaign site: "Limit tax increases. Spend wisely."
  • Campaign site: "Independent audits. Strong oversight."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "I would want an in-depth audit of all city spending before asking the taxpayers for more money"
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Density housing projects should work within a neighborhood, not drastically change it."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "Fix our roads, our drainage, our grid."
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "Keep our neighborhoods safe and back the men and women who answer the call"
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
lizbrinkatx.com
David Weinberg

David Weinberg

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
David Weinberg
Current role
Democratic Precinct Chair, Travis County Precinct 307 (describes himself as a full-time candidate)
Background
  • District 5 resident, 17 years (per campaign)
Experience
  • Led the Texas League of Conservation Voters for six years (per campaign)
  • Brennan Center for Justice, Texas voting rights work, four years (per campaign)
  • Former chief of staff, New York State Assembly member Linda B. Rosenthal
  • Helped lead a 2023 grassroots campaign against the Zilker Park Vision Plan (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "I will prioritize listening to residents, providing excellent constituent service, and making real progress on affordability, public safety, and improving parks, public schools, and public amenities."
  • "We need a real audit of city spending and find ways to do more with less."
  • Homelessness: "Services need to be distributed across the city."
  • "We need to do more to provide true affordable housing for working families while preserving the character of neighborhoods."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We need a real audit of city spending and find ways to do more with less."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We need to do more to provide true affordable housing for working families while preserving the character of neighborhoods."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site, on housing growth: "accounting for environmental constraints like flooding risk and impervious cover, as well as infrastructure capacity"
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "I believe the Austin Police Department must be adequately staffed and deployed in a way that ensures consistent public safety across all neighborhoods"
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
davidforatx.com
Ryan Alter

Ryan Alter

Nonpartisan Incumbent
On ballot as
Ryan Alter
Current role
Austin City Council Member, District 5 (elected 2022; term Jan. 6, 2023 through Jan. 6, 2027)
Background
  • Engineering degree, UT Austin (per his City of Austin biography)
  • Harvard Law School graduate (per the same biography)
  • Lifelong Austin-area resident (per the same biography)
  • Lives in South Austin (per the same biography)
Experience
  • Former Capitol staff member, Senators Kirk Watson, Sylvia Garcia and Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (per his City of Austin biography)
Top priorities
  • "Four years ago, I ran to make Austin more affordable, and we've made real progress."
  • "Every tax dollar should be treated as someone's hard-earned money."
  • "Preventing homelessness is the cheapest and most effective tool we have, and I believe we should be using it more."
  • Campaign site: "Safe communities don't just respond to emergencies, they prevent them."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Every tax dollar should be treated as someone’s hard-earned money. That’s why we initiated an efficiency audit, so we don’t have to keep asking you for more."
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "Everyone deserves housing they can afford and to not be pushed out by rising costs."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site lists "Stormwater improvements in D5" among his results
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "Violent crime can be prevented if we continue to make smart investments in community-level programs like these."
Endorsements
  • Austin Central Labor Council
  • Mayor Kirk Watson (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, D2 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Jose Velasquez, D3 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Chito Vela, D4 (listed by campaign)
Show all 30
  • Council Member Krista Laine, D6 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Mike Siegel, D7 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Paige Ellis, D8 (listed by campaign)
  • Council Member Zo Qadri, D9 (listed by campaign)
  • County Judge Andy Brown (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner Jeff Travillion, Pct. 1 (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner Brigid Shea, Pct. 2 (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner Ann Howard, Pct. 3 (listed by campaign)
  • County Commissioner George Morales, Pct. 4 (listed by campaign)
  • Constable Gabe Padilla, Pct. 4 (listed by campaign)
  • Constable Carlos Lopez, Pct. 5 (listed by campaign)
  • Representative Sheryl Cole, D46 (listed by campaign)
  • Representative Vikki Goodwin, D47 (listed by campaign)
  • Representative John Bucy, D136 (listed by campaign)
  • Austin Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 975 (listed by campaign)
  • AFSCME Local 1624 (listed by campaign)
  • AURA (listed by campaign)
  • Austin EMS Association (listed by campaign)
  • Austin Young Democrats (listed by campaign)
  • Education Austin (listed by campaign)
  • Liberal Austin Democrats (listed by campaign)
  • LiUNA Local 1095 (listed by campaign)
  • Sierra Club (listed by campaign)
  • Tejano Democrats Austin (listed by campaign)
  • University Democrats (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
ryanforatx.com

Farrah Abraham

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Farrah Abraham
Current role
Self-employed business owner (per her Community Impact Q&A)
Background
  • Former reality television star, known for "Teen Mom" (per FOX 7 Austin)
  • UT-Austin certified paralegal (per candidate)
  • South Austin mother (per candidate)
Experience
  • 18+ years running small businesses (per candidate)
Top priorities
  • "My top priority is keeping our neighborhoods safe by stabilizing emergency response times, supporting local first responders, and ensuring every family feels secure in their home."
  • "I support stabilizing property taxes or removing them as higher government mentioned to protect long-term homeowners and local business owners."
  • Homelessness: "Combining shelter with real mental health care and addiction recovery"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "I support stabilizing property taxes or removing them as higher government mentioned to protect long-term homeowners and local business owners."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A on housing policy: "Current policies leave out 1099 freelancers, creators, and gig workers"
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: In a Community Impact Q&A: "My top priority is keeping our neighborhoods safe by stabilizing emergency response times, supporting local first responders, and ensuring every family feels secure in their home."
Endorsements
None found in our research

Open in the full comparison: Travis County

Not every voter sees every race. Your districts depend on your address. Candidate photos link to their source.
Information comes from public sources and campaign websites and may contain errors. Report errors to admin@stg-fortbendranchersball-staging.kinsta.cloud.

All counties and races