Changing the city's constitution
Nine ideas to change elections & govt in Austin.
Among the many things on the ballot in November will be a series of proposed changes to the Austin City Charter.
The charter is basically the city's constitution. Amendments can either be placed on the ballot by City Council or by the citizens themselves if they gather a certain number of signatures.
Every few years, City Council appoints a commission of citizen volunteers to recommend changes to the charter. This year, the Charter Review Commission recommended nine changes that relate to city elections and governance. You can read its full report on its recommended changes here.
New rules for ballot initiatives
Of the nine proposed amendments, there are several relating to direct democracy that I envision prompting at least some pushback.
