Bruce Elfant

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Bruce Elfant

Democratic Party

Prior offices

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector

Successor: Celia Israel

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Education

Associate

Austin Community College, 1995

Bachelor's

University of Texas at Austin, 1980

Personal

Birthplace

Houston, Texas

Religion

Jewish

Profession

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar

Contact

Campaign website

Bruce Elfant (Democratic Party) was the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector in Texas. He assumed office in 2013. He left office on December 31, 2024.

Elfant (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector in Texas. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Elfant completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Bruce Elfant was born in Houston, Texas. He earned an associate degree from Austin Community College in 1995 and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. Elfant’s career experience includes working as the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar. He also served as Travis County Constable from 1993 to 2012, Director of the Family Law Section of the Constable’s Office from 1986 to 1992, and a research associate for the Texas Attorney General’s Office from 1983 to 1986.

Elections

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Travis County, Texas (2020)

General election

General election for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector

Incumbent Bruce Elfant defeated Marilyn Jackson and Erica Lockwood in the general election for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bruce Elfant (D)	66.9	384,781
		Marilyn Jackson (R)	27.8	159,646
	Submit photo	Erica Lockwood (L)	5.3	30,405

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 574,832
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector

Incumbent Bruce Elfant advanced from the Democratic primary for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bruce Elfant	100.0	174,275

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 174,275
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector

Marilyn Jackson advanced from the Republican primary for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Marilyn Jackson	100.0	35,557

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,557
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Municipal elections in Travis County, Texas (2016)

Travis County held elections for county commission, all five constables, county attorney, sheriff, county tax assessor-collector, and the Austin Community College District Board of Trustees in 2016. The general election was held on November 8, 2016. A primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and a primary runoff took place on May 24, 2016. The filing deadline for those wishing to run in this election was December 14, 2015. Incumbent Bruce Elfant defeated Steven Haskett in the Travis County tax assessor-collector general election.

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector, General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Bruce Elfant Incumbent	81.76%	310,418
	Libertarian	Steven Haskett	18.24%	69,243
Total Votes				379,661
Source: Travis County Clerk, "Travis County Election Results," accessed November 8, 2016

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Bruce Elfant completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Elfant's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I graduated from the University of Texas in 1980 with a BS in Communications. My professional career has been defined by public service. I worked 4 years in the public policy division of the Texas Attorney General's Office. In 1992 I was elected Travis County Constable and served for 20 years where I established Texas's first County Disabled Parking Enforcement Program, and a unit specializing in child abuse, domestic violence and child support cases.

In 2012 I was elected Tax Assessor. I increased online payments for property tax and vehicle registration services from $50 Million to $1 Billion. I established Texas's first financing program for clean energy and water projects, the nation's first E-title program for dealers, and built Texas's premiere voter registration program. Professional and community organizations including: • Chair, Austin/Travis County Family Violence Task Force • President Texas Justices of the Peace and Constable's Association • VP, Texas Association of Counties • Co-Chair Travis County Veterans Intervention Project • Co-chair Austin/Travis County Census Complete Count Committee I am proud of many awards and recognitions including; • Texas Tax Assessor Collector of the Year • Texas Constable of the Year • Public Innovation, Society of Public Administrators • National Pace Setter award for establishing Texas's first PACE program

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Increase access to Tax Office online services: When I took office most of the more than$4 Billion the tax office collected was in cash and checks. Very expensive to account and audit. A top priority was to increase online collections to save tax dollars and increase security. In just 7 years we increased property tax and vehicle registration collections from $50 Million to more than $1 Billion. We are in the process of implementing online tax foreclosure auctions and look forward to convincing the Texas Legislature to authorize online voter registration.
• Promote Voter registration and Civic Engagement: During my time as Tax Assessor & Voter Registrar we recruited thousands of volunteer deputy registrars, created the first ""Unregistered Voters"" maps, sponsored, Voter Registration Logo, PSA and mural contests, conducted student mock elections, established Texas's first online volunteer deputy registrar training sessions, partnered with hundreds of civic, government and business groups, created ""Text to Register"" program, streamlined address updates and blocked voter suppression efforts including unconstitutional voter purges. We have increased voter registration by about 230,000 voters in just 7 years. Travis County now has the highest voter registration rate (95%) of any Texas urban county.
• Record of innovation: One of my campaign promises was to get legislation passed to implement a Property Assessed Clean Energy and Water financing program for energy and water conservation projects. It took 2 legislative sessions but the effort has been worth wile. I have proved several PACE projects ranging from a small non-profit that is saving tens of thousands of dollars to a large shopping mall that is saving hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. We partnered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to implement the nation's first E-Title program for auto dealers. It has proved successful and is now mandated in most counties. I have partnered with Travis County's Chief Appraiser to host dozens of property tax and assessment t

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about encouraging American citizens to engage in the affairs of their community and country. I began registering voters while I attended UT and never imagined that I would one day I would be the voter registrar for my county. Sadly the United States is near the bottom of state when it comes to voter registration and turnout. Travis County is near the top in both categories and I am proud to have played a role in successfully promoting civic engagement. I was particularly honored to have been asked to emcee the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Voting Rights Act at the LBJ Presidential Library with Lucy Baines Johnson. If reelected I look forward to expanding our volunteer deputy registrar program, our technology and our partnerships with all manner of organizations.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The Travis County Tax Office collects property taxes for about 130 governmental jurisdictions which funds police, firefighters, schools, parks, health services, etc. As an arm of the State of Texas this office also collects motor vehicle registration and title fees. When Texas instituted the poll tax in the early 1900s, tax offices were made county voter registrars and were directed to collect those taxes. The Travis County Tax Office also collects TABC fees and judicial fines and fees.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Senator Ralph Yarborough represented Texas during the 1950s and 1960s. He was the first southern senator to voter for civil rights and received death threats and raciest opponents. Senator Yarborough said that "the jam should be put on the lower shelf so everyone could reach it." He was a true "profiles in courage" and I was so honored by his friendship and support for my political career.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, fairness and compassion are the principles which have guided me throughout my professional career.

For every challenging issue I have to confront, I make sure I am strictly following federal and state law and local ordinances and rules (I have lawyers assigned to my office) and determine what would be most fair to parties involved whether it is a property tax dispute or an employee issue. Sadly in the property tax collection business applicable laws don't offer a lot of room for compassion but we look to every option to assist tax payers as much as we are allowed.

What legacy would you like to leave?

When I ran for Tax Assessor a top priority was to make tax office services more accessible through automation.

So far we have increased online property tax payments from about $50 Million to $1 Billion. For the first time more than 50% of property taxes were paid electronically. We got legislation passed to authorize online property tax foreclosure auctions, and have automated voter registration address updates. I will continue working to convince the Texas legislature to join the 40 states that allow their citizens to register to vote online. Online voter registration would lower costs, be more accessible for citizens, and be more accurate and secure.

When I retire or am relieved of my position, I want to have significantly changed the way most Travis County residents do business with the Tax Office. Automation done properly saves tax dollars and is far more secure. That is where the world is going. I just want to get there sooner.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was 5 when president Kennedy was assassinated . My parents were invited to a reception for President Kennedy in Houston which was a stop on his trip but had to be out of town. I remember the sadness and the fear that a foreign power may have been involved.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I sold peanuts at the Astrodome for several years. My first job out of college actually was as a clerk for about a year processing motor vehicle and property tax payments at the Travis County Tax Office.

What is your favorite book? Why?

FDR, a Biography

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Piano Man

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

I helped pass legislation which authorizes tax assessors to approve and oversee lending for property assessed clean energy and water projects which benefits local business and helps to conserve limited energy and water resources. I authorized the first 3 of these programs in Texas. Now there are similar projects through Texas worth in excess of $100 million. This is a little known, innovative and very useful authority.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

It's not essential but it is helpful to understand how to navigate the legal complexities, political minefields and levers of influence of local governmental entities. Having worked in various positions in Travis County government, I know my way around and credit much of my accomplishments in office to good relationships and an understanding of how to move complex and innovative projects through the process to fruition.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

As mentioned above, prior governmental experience is a definite plus. Private sector collections experience would also be helpful. I have found patience to be a virtue since I regularly meet with upset tax payers, constituents and community organizations.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector

Website