After serving on the Austin Water and Wastewater Commission for two years, Spelman served on the Austin City Council from 1997-2000, and again from 2009-2015. He is the only person ever elected to an open seat on the Austin City Council without opposition. As a council member, Spelman balanced support for the Austin Police Department with attempts to increase police accountability. His strong pro-neighborhood stance of the 1990s was tempered in the 2010s as rapid population growth increased traffic and affordability problems.
