Election Results and Trends in Austin, TX
In the last Presidential election, Austin, TX voted predominantly Democrat, with 62.7% of voters casting their ballot for Biden, while 35.4% of voters in Austin voted for Trump, and other parties voting 1.9%. Based on these voting patterns, Austin is considered a moderately liberal city. Specifically, it ranks 100th out of the most populated 333 cities in the United States in terms of liberalism based on the 2020 Presidential election results. Conversely, when looking at the conservative voting patterns in the 2020 election, Austin ranks 237th out of the 333 most populated cities, indicating a relatively low conservative vote.
Presidential Elections Voting Trend
Austin's trend in Presidential elections has been progressively leaning towards the Democrat Party. Although Texas is traditionally conservative, Austin supported Democrat candidates Bill Clinton (1996), Al Gore (2000), John Kerry (2004), Barack Obama (2008, 2012), Hillary Clinton (2016), and Joe Biden (2020). The city's academic and tech communities, cultural diversity, and the influx of young professionals have contributed to this shift, setting Austin apart from many other areas in Texas.
Local Elections
City-level elections in Austin have also seen a trend towards liberal voting results. Mayors and City Council members have often prioritized progressive environmental, housing, and social justice policies. Austin's city government has been nonpartisan officially, but the influence of progressive ideas and liberal-leaning officials has been quite evident. The adoption of the 10-1 council system in 2014, which increased representation, further underscored the city's progressive leanings.