In response to questions about Abraham’s eligibility to run for District 5, city spokesperson Erik Johnson cited city code that council candidates must have lived in their district six months prior to the regular filing deadline for a council candidate’s application for a place on the ballot.
The Statesman previously reported that Abraham, who published her address on Instagram Tuesday, incorrectly identified her address on Harwin Lane as District 5. Harwin Lane is, in fact, entirely within District 2 based on the city’s Council District Map.
Abraham challenged the map in a statement Tuesday night, saying “the current map for 2031 is current that I do indeed live in district 5 and have triple checked via Ai legal binding accurate maps.”
She added that “while outdated third-party websites may still show old 2012 data, the 2021 Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission officially moved these boundaries to capture South Austin’s growth.”
In response to her statement, the city clarified that the map online – which shows Abraham’s address in District 2 – is both current and accurate.
“The current Council District map online reflects the certified 2021 Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission map,” Austin Financial Services spokesperson Melissa Espitia said in a statement. “The 2031 maps won’t be adopted until the 2030 census is completed.”
Abraham doubled down on her stance in a statement Thursday, saying, “I have met all residency requirements and my campaign must be separate from personal information.” In response to the city’s statement about the district map, Abraham told the Statesman, “your being poorly advised,” signing the email off with “legally, Farrah for District 5, a local resident.”