Voters who don’t want to risk exposure to the coronavirus may use mail-in ballots during upcoming elections as a legal battle moves through the courts, a Texas appeals court ruled Thursday. The 14th Court of Appeals ruled a trial court order from April will stay in place until the appeal has concluded, Beth Stevens, voting […]
Elections
Posted inElections
County plans to spend $968K to prepare for voting in 2020
Travis County will spend $968,000 to expand ballot-by-mail voting and introduce new safety precautions at voting sites in preparation for the July runoff election and the November general elections. Already, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir told the Commissioners Court on May 5 that the county is receiving 200 requests a day from residents who are […]
Posted inElections
Casar to seek reelection
Council Member Greg Casar announced Monday that he will not be seeking Sen. Kirk Watson’s now-vacant District 14 seat. In early March, Casar explored the possibility of running for state Senate. However, that move was quickly overshadowed by the cancellation of South by Southwest and the unprecedented fight against Covid-19 that has since consumed Austin […]
Posted inElections
Travis County judge says he will open up mail-in voting during Covid-19 pandemic
A Travis County district court judge said Wednesday he will clarify that voters fearful of contracting Covid-19 will be allowed to use mail-in ballots during elections in July and November. The Texas Democratic Party sued state and local election officials last month in an effort to get a district court to clarify state law. ​Texas […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
City may begin evaluating creative spaces bond sites in June
The city expects to use real estate and economic development professionals from the Texas Facilities Commission to broker the acquisition of what may be multiple properties for local artists and musicians to use. An April 3 memo spells out the steps that will be taken to purchase creative spaces using $12 million in bond funding […]
Posted inElections
Texas officials try to clarify who can vote by mail, but they might not be able to just say everyone
The Texas Secretary of State’s Office sent local election officials an advisory Thursday that was meant to give them guidance on how to handle elections during the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, they tried to tackle an issue voting rights groups have flagged since the start of the outbreak: Who qualifies to vote by mail during […]
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Worrying about elections in the time of coronavirus
While some people may be worrying about their health or their business, it is Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir’s job to worry about elections. One of her major worries is how she’s going to conduct the July 14 runoffs for the Democratic and Republican primaries. After that, she wonders if the coronavirus will still be […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Eckhardt to remain county judge until May 13
In yet another unprecedented decision linked to COVID-19, County Judge Sarah Eckhardt will not be stepping down from county government after all, despite her March 10 resignation. Eckhardt said at a press conference Monday that she could not have foreseen the developing impact of the pandemic. She explained that she will continue to lead county […]
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May 2 elections called off, not so for May 26
After Gov. Greg Abbott’s proclamation Wednesday allowing political subdivisions to postpone elections planned for May 2, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir announced Thursday that Travis County would not be conducting any elections on that date. Most if not all of those jurisdictions will be holding their elections Nov. 3, along with all the other elections […]
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Eckhardt resigns, declares for Texas Senate
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt resigned her position on the Commissioners Court Tuesday, launching her campaign for the Texas Senate seat being vacated by Kirk Watson. Eckhardt wiped away tears as she told her colleagues, “I really love Travis County. … This is the most fun and challenging job I’ve ever had.” “Today I am […]
Posted inElections
Which Republican will Fleck face in HD 47 runoff?
House District 47 Rep. Vikki Goodwin had no opposition in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, but five Republicans were vying for the opportunity to run against her in November. Attorney Jennifer Fleck led the Republican pack with 5,760 votes, more than 32 percent of the ballots cast in the race. In the unofficial totals released […]
Posted inElections
Howard and Bolton earn spots in runoff for Precinct 3
Ann Howard, the former executive director of Ending Homelessness Community Coalition, won the most votes on Tuesday night, but there is one more hurdle to clear. A runoff election will determine which Democratic candidate will go against Republican Rebecca Bray this November in the contest to replace Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, the sole Republican […]