Former EMS union head Selena Xie announces run for Austin City Council

Former Austin EMS Association president Selena Xie on Wednesday announced she will run next year to represent District 8 on the Austin City Council.

"I came to the decision to run after meeting with numerous district residents from many different backgrounds. They all said the same thing - that D8 deserves a Councilmember who shows up," Xie said in a news release.

The seat is currently held by Paige Ellis, who is term-limited but announced on Wednesday morning that she plans to seek re-election through a petition process.

The District 8 seat will be on the November 2026 general election ballot, along with districts 1, 3, 5 and 9.

Xie, an EMS commander and ICU nurse, is the first challenger to formally announce her run for the District 8 seat.

In the news release, she touted her "long-standing relationships in the community and at City Hall" and work as EMS union president, including negotiating three contracts with the city, as qualifications for the job.

"On council, I will bring the same energy to improving affordability, public safety, infrastructure, the environment, constituent services, and communication with residents to District 8 that I brought as EMS Association President," Xie said.

She did not directly address Ellis' possible run for a third term, which was first reported in the Austin Politics Newsletter.

Council members are limited to two terms in their district, though can petition to run again. To do so, they must collect signatures from at least 5% of registered voters in their district, according to the city's charter.

"I have lived and worked in Southwest Austin for 15 years and I understand the unique needs of our friends and neighbors," Ellis said in a news release announcing her re-election bid. "Together we have improved parks and roads, come together in crisis, and worked to make life a little bit better for everyone. I would be honored to have the community's support once again."

The only other council member to petition for a third term under the current council configuration (10 district representatives and mayor at-large) was former District 9 representative Kathie Tovo, who did so in 2018. However, it was unclear if she actually needed to do so as her first term began prior to the council's shift to a district system, which took effect in 2014, the Statesman previously reported.