KXAN to moderate Austin City Council District 9 forum Thursday

KXAN's local government reporter, Grace Reader, will be moderating a District 9 forum Thursday night.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- There are five Austin City Council seats open this November alongside the crowded race for Austin mayor. District 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9 are all up for grabs this election cycle. There are nearly 30 candidates vying for those seats.

One of the most crowded races this November will be District 9, which covers large chunks of downtown Austin including the University of Texas at Austin.

KXAN's local government reporter, Grace Reader, will be moderating a District 9 forum Thursday night. The event is hosted by the University Area Partners (UAP), a group of organizations that focus on campus and surrounding parts of Austin -- including Safe Horns.

Candidates for District 9, as they appear on the ballot, are:

• Zena Mitchell
• Zohaib "Zo" Qadri
• Greg Smith
• Joah Spearman
• Kym Olson
• Ben Leffler
• Linda Guerrero
• Tom Wald

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event runs until 7:30 p.m. The public will be given the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the moderated forum.

The forum is happening at University Presbyterian Church at 2203 San Antonio St. You can find your Travis County sample ballot here.