Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

City Council Member, District 9

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

City of Austin
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked5-way race
Rich HeymanRich HeymanNonpartisan
Katie KamNonpartisan
Zohaib “Zo” QadriZohaib “Zo” QadriNonpartisan Incumbent
Dave ThadaniNonpartisan
Kai HuangNonpartisan
On ballot as
Rich Heyman
Katie Kam
Zohaib “Zo” Qadri
Dave Thadani
Kai Huang
Current role
Educator (professor of urban studies, 20+ years, per his Community Impact Q&A)
Civil engineer
Austin City Council Member, District 9 (elected 2022; term Jan. 6, 2023 through Jan. 6, 2027)
Student, University of Texas at Austin (per campaign)
Not found
Background
  • PhD in urban geography, University of Washington (per campaign)
  • Undergraduate studies, UCLA (per campaign)
  • 30 years researching and teaching about cities, the last 18 at UT (per candidate)
  • Family has lived in Cherrywood since coming to Austin in 2006 (per candidate)
  • MS in Community & Regional Planning, UT-Austin (1999) (per campaign)
  • Has run her own consulting firm as a civil engineer; biotech start-up founder (per campaign)
  • Austin resident since 1983 (per candidate)
  • Attended the University of Texas at Austin
  • Master of Public Administration, Texas State University
  • Graduate degree in Global Affairs, Rice University
  • Former legislative aide and community organizer (per campaign)
  • Employee, student and lifelong Texan (per campaign)
  • Member, Texas State Employees Union (TSEU) (per candidate)
Not found
Experience
  • Served on the city's land development code rewrite Citizens Advisory Group (2015–17) (per campaign)
  • Worked for the City of Austin as a planner for 7 years (per campaign)
  • Former Austin ISD high school science teacher (per campaign)
  • Austin's first South Asian and Muslim council member (per campaign)
Not found
Not found
Top priorities
  • "I'll fight to shift development from outdated trickle-down policies to ones that lift working families, local businesses"
  • "We especially need to invest in housing for families making less than $40,000 annually"
  • "I will fight to stop tax breaks for wealthy companies and sweetheart deals for billionaires that provide few public benefits."
  • "We need to end back-room deals, secret votes, and stealth communications with lobbyists."
  • "We need to reduce tax and fee burdens."
  • "Conduct thorough audits; re-evaluate city real estate holdings, programs and infrastructure projects; prioritize core city needs first"
  • Homelessness: "Cancel South Austin navigation center; reevaluate approach."
  • "Engage the community before items added to Council agenda."
  • "We've made real progress on housing, transit and affordability, but the work isn't finished."
  • Homelessness: "prevention, shelter, services and permanent housing"
  • "We should invest in what works"
  • "I'll continue pushing for stronger public reporting"
  • Campaign site: "No corporate funding. Period."
  • Calls for a "Landlord Transparency Portal" consolidating public data on code violations and inspections
  • Campaign site: "Austin is in need of a complete budget overhall"
  • Says the HOME Initiative "is a good start" but should be amended so affordable housing "is occupied and owned by families, working-class citizens, and students"
Not found
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "I will fight to stop tax breaks for wealthy companies and sweetheart deals for billionaires that provide few public benefits."
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "We need density that supports public transit and meets the climate crisis head-on."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We need to reduce tax and fee burdens."
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "Development needs to be designed to positively contribute to the overall feel and character of the city and neighborhoods and to integrate the natural environment."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site lists "flooding" among the "maintenance and critical infrastructure projects" the city should prioritize
  • Public safety: Campaign site, on police, fire and EMS: "They put their lives on the line for us and we must support them to ensure a safe city."
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Every tax dollar comes from someone’s household budget, and Austinites deserve results for what they pay."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We’ve made real progress on housing, transit and affordability, but the work isn’t finished."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "We must take a holistic view of public safety that fully funds our EMS and fire services, recommits to our Vision Zero goals"
  • Property taxes and budget: Campaign site: "Austin is in need of a complete budget overhall"
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "We need to make sure the city grows with its people and accommodates all of our needs."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "focusing on an expanded drainage system to counteract the flooding caused by impervious cover"
  • Public safety: Campaign site calls for "focused lighting in heavy foot traffic areas, complete pedestrian infrastructure, and a proactive police presence"
  • Property taxes and budget: No public statement found
  • Growth and infrastructure: No public statement found
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
None found in our research
  • Austin Central Labor Council
  • Lloyd Doggett, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Joaquin Castro, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Ro Khanna, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Colin Allred, Former U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
Show all 66
  • Molly Cook, State Senator (listed by campaign)
  • Gene Wu, State Representative, House Democratic Caucus Chair (listed by campaign)
  • John Bucy, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Sheryl Cole, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Lulu Flores, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Vikki Goodwin, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Gina Hinojosa, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Donna Howard, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • James Talarico, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Salman Bhojani, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Garry Mauro, Former Land Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Wendy Davis, Former State Senator (listed by campaign)
  • Glen Maxey, Former State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Eddie Rodriguez, Former State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Andy Brown, County Judge (listed by campaign)
  • Delia Garza, County Attorney (listed by campaign)
  • Celia Israel, Tax Assessor-Collector (listed by campaign)
  • Christian Menefee, Harris County Attorney (listed by campaign)
  • Ann Howard, County Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Jeff Travillion, County Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Carlos Lopez, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • George Morales, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • Tonya Nixon, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • Stacy Suits, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • Dana DeBeauvoir, Former Travis County Clerk (listed by campaign)
  • Katie Naranjo, Former Travis County Chair (listed by campaign)
  • Pooja Sethi, Former Travis County Chair (listed by campaign)
  • Kirk Watson, Mayor of Austin (listed by campaign)
  • Ryan Alter, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Paige Ellis, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Vanessa Fuentes, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Krista Laine, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Mike Siegel, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • José Velásquez, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Chito Vela, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Rudy Metayer, Council Member (Pflugerville) (listed by campaign)
  • Jose Garza, District Attorney (listed by campaign)
  • Steve Adler, Former Mayor of Austin (listed by campaign)
  • Jimmy Flannigan, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Ann Kitchen, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Mike Martinez, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Ron Nirenberg, Former Mayor of San Antonio (listed by campaign)
  • Leslie Pool, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Pio Renteria, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Stephanie Gharakhanian, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Sean Hassan, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Julie Ann Nitsch, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Dr. Manuel Gonzalez, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Lynn Boswell, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Fernando de Urioste, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Kevin Foster, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Andrew Gonzales, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Candace Hunter, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Laressa Quintana, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Arati Singh, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Kathryn Whitley Chu, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Paul Saldaña, Former AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • David Hogg, Leaders We Deserve (listed by campaign)
  • Angel Carroll, President, Black Austin Democrats (listed by campaign)
  • United Workers of Integral Care: CWA 6154 (listed by campaign)
  • Run for Something (listed by campaign)
None found in our research
None found in our research
Campaign website
richforaustin.org
katiekamforaustin.com
zoforaustin.com
daveforaustintx.com
Not found
Rich Heyman

Rich Heyman

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Rich Heyman
Current role
Educator (professor of urban studies, 20+ years, per his Community Impact Q&A)
Background
  • PhD in urban geography, University of Washington (per campaign)
  • Undergraduate studies, UCLA (per campaign)
  • 30 years researching and teaching about cities, the last 18 at UT (per candidate)
  • Family has lived in Cherrywood since coming to Austin in 2006 (per candidate)
Experience
  • Served on the city's land development code rewrite Citizens Advisory Group (2015–17) (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "I'll fight to shift development from outdated trickle-down policies to ones that lift working families, local businesses"
  • "We especially need to invest in housing for families making less than $40,000 annually"
  • "I will fight to stop tax breaks for wealthy companies and sweetheart deals for billionaires that provide few public benefits."
  • "We need to end back-room deals, secret votes, and stealth communications with lobbyists."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "I will fight to stop tax breaks for wealthy companies and sweetheart deals for billionaires that provide few public benefits."
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "We need density that supports public transit and meets the climate crisis head-on."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
richforaustin.org

Katie Kam

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Katie Kam
Current role
Civil engineer
Background
  • MS in Community & Regional Planning, UT-Austin (1999) (per campaign)
  • Has run her own consulting firm as a civil engineer; biotech start-up founder (per campaign)
  • Austin resident since 1983 (per candidate)
Experience
  • Worked for the City of Austin as a planner for 7 years (per campaign)
  • Former Austin ISD high school science teacher (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "We need to reduce tax and fee burdens."
  • "Conduct thorough audits; re-evaluate city real estate holdings, programs and infrastructure projects; prioritize core city needs first"
  • Homelessness: "Cancel South Austin navigation center; reevaluate approach."
  • "Engage the community before items added to Council agenda."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We need to reduce tax and fee burdens."
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "Development needs to be designed to positively contribute to the overall feel and character of the city and neighborhoods and to integrate the natural environment."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site lists "flooding" among the "maintenance and critical infrastructure projects" the city should prioritize
  • Public safety: Campaign site, on police, fire and EMS: "They put their lives on the line for us and we must support them to ensure a safe city."
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
katiekamforaustin.com
Zohaib “Zo” Qadri

Zohaib “Zo” Qadri

Nonpartisan Incumbent
On ballot as
Zohaib “Zo” Qadri
Current role
Austin City Council Member, District 9 (elected 2022; term Jan. 6, 2023 through Jan. 6, 2027)
Background
  • Attended the University of Texas at Austin
  • Master of Public Administration, Texas State University
  • Graduate degree in Global Affairs, Rice University
  • Former legislative aide and community organizer (per campaign)
Experience
  • Austin's first South Asian and Muslim council member (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "We've made real progress on housing, transit and affordability, but the work isn't finished."
  • Homelessness: "prevention, shelter, services and permanent housing"
  • "We should invest in what works"
  • "I'll continue pushing for stronger public reporting"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a Community Impact Q&A: "Every tax dollar comes from someone’s household budget, and Austinites deserve results for what they pay."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact Q&A: "We’ve made real progress on housing, transit and affordability, but the work isn’t finished."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "We must take a holistic view of public safety that fully funds our EMS and fire services, recommits to our Vision Zero goals"
Endorsements
  • Austin Central Labor Council
  • Lloyd Doggett, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Joaquin Castro, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Ro Khanna, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Colin Allred, Former U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
Show all 66
  • Molly Cook, State Senator (listed by campaign)
  • Gene Wu, State Representative, House Democratic Caucus Chair (listed by campaign)
  • John Bucy, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Sheryl Cole, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Lulu Flores, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Vikki Goodwin, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Gina Hinojosa, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Donna Howard, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • James Talarico, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Salman Bhojani, State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Garry Mauro, Former Land Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Wendy Davis, Former State Senator (listed by campaign)
  • Glen Maxey, Former State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Eddie Rodriguez, Former State Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Andy Brown, County Judge (listed by campaign)
  • Delia Garza, County Attorney (listed by campaign)
  • Celia Israel, Tax Assessor-Collector (listed by campaign)
  • Christian Menefee, Harris County Attorney (listed by campaign)
  • Ann Howard, County Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Jeff Travillion, County Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Carlos Lopez, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • George Morales, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • Tonya Nixon, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • Stacy Suits, Constable (listed by campaign)
  • Dana DeBeauvoir, Former Travis County Clerk (listed by campaign)
  • Katie Naranjo, Former Travis County Chair (listed by campaign)
  • Pooja Sethi, Former Travis County Chair (listed by campaign)
  • Kirk Watson, Mayor of Austin (listed by campaign)
  • Ryan Alter, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Paige Ellis, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Vanessa Fuentes, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Krista Laine, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Mike Siegel, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • José Velásquez, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Chito Vela, Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Rudy Metayer, Council Member (Pflugerville) (listed by campaign)
  • Jose Garza, District Attorney (listed by campaign)
  • Steve Adler, Former Mayor of Austin (listed by campaign)
  • Jimmy Flannigan, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Ann Kitchen, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Mike Martinez, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Ron Nirenberg, Former Mayor of San Antonio (listed by campaign)
  • Leslie Pool, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Pio Renteria, Former Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Stephanie Gharakhanian, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Sean Hassan, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Julie Ann Nitsch, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Dr. Manuel Gonzalez, ACC Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Lynn Boswell, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Fernando de Urioste, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Kevin Foster, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Andrew Gonzales, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Candace Hunter, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Laressa Quintana, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Arati Singh, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Kathryn Whitley Chu, AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Paul Saldaña, Former AISD Trustee (listed by campaign)
  • David Hogg, Leaders We Deserve (listed by campaign)
  • Angel Carroll, President, Black Austin Democrats (listed by campaign)
  • United Workers of Integral Care: CWA 6154 (listed by campaign)
  • Run for Something (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
zoforaustin.com

Dave Thadani

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Dave Thadani
Current role
Student, University of Texas at Austin (per campaign)
Background
  • Employee, student and lifelong Texan (per campaign)
  • Member, Texas State Employees Union (TSEU) (per candidate)
Experience
Not found
Top priorities
  • Campaign site: "No corporate funding. Period."
  • Calls for a "Landlord Transparency Portal" consolidating public data on code violations and inspections
  • Campaign site: "Austin is in need of a complete budget overhall"
  • Says the HOME Initiative "is a good start" but should be amended so affordable housing "is occupied and owned by families, working-class citizens, and students"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: Campaign site: "Austin is in need of a complete budget overhall"
  • Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "We need to make sure the city grows with its people and accommodates all of our needs."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "focusing on an expanded drainage system to counteract the flooding caused by impervious cover"
  • Public safety: Campaign site calls for "focused lighting in heavy foot traffic areas, complete pedestrian infrastructure, and a proactive police presence"
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
daveforaustintx.com

Kai Huang

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Kai Huang
Current role
Not found
Background
Not found
Experience
Not found
Top priorities
Not found
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: No public statement found
  • Growth and infrastructure: No public statement found
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
Not found

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