Local post offices across Travis County have reversed a plan that would have allowed residents to register to vote on-site today. Oct. 7 is the last day for Texans to register for the Nov. 5 election. With the help of U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the county was all set to partner with the Postal Service […]
November 2024 elections
Posted inElections
Carmen Llanes Pulido vows to bring inclusive leadership to City Hall
Carmen Llanes Pulido may be the youngest candidate in the five-way race for mayor, but the lifelong Austinite with activism in her DNA arguably has the most boots-on-the-ground experience in the city’s grassroots arena. As the executive director of the nonprofit Go Austin/Vamos Austin, Llanes Pulido hopes to extend her future-focused leadership to City Hall. […]
Posted inElections
In an unusual hearing, Ethics Commission advances complaints against Greco and Watson to next phase
Ethics complaints filed against mayoral candidate Doug Greco and incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson will move to a final hearing next month, but an anticipated court ruling could circumvent the proceedings. In a preliminary hearing Wednesday, the Ethics Review Commission determined there were reasonable grounds to believe that both Greco and Watson violated the city’s campaign […]
Posted inElections
All five mayoral candidates take the stage at forum
All five mayoral candidates participated in Wednesday’s mayoral forum, hosted by Austin PBS and the LBJ School of Public Affairs’ Urban Lab, to discuss major issues facing the city, including policing, housing, economic development and affordability. Policing was the first topic on the docket after the Austin police union and the city agreed to a […]
Posted inElections
Watson collects the most endorsements among mayoral candidates
Campaigns for City Council and mayor are heating up just as the weather is cooling a bit, by Austin standards at least. Mayor Kirk Watson is touting his many endorsements, with a full page devoted to the 14 unions that have indicated their support, starting with the Austin Firefighters Association and the Austin-Travis County EMS […]
Posted inCourts
Mayoral candidate Doug Greco sues city to overturn campaign finance rule
Mayoral candidate Doug Greco and his campaign, along with Ramon Duran – a Bexar County resident who supports Greco’s candidacy – filed suit in federal court on Tuesday, challenging the provision of the Austin City Charter that prevents City Council candidates from accepting more than $47,000 in contributions from people who live outside the Austin […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Ethics Commission complaints allege Mayor Watson and challenger Doug Greco violated campaign finance laws
Incumbent Kirk Watson and challenger Doug Greco may soon hit a snag in their respective bids for mayor, with the Ethics Review Commission investigating claims that both broke the same campaign finance law. The complaints, filed by former Commissioner Betsy Greenberg, allege that the candidates exceeded the $46,000 limit on donations sourced from outside the […]
Posted inCourts
Judge’s order halts Nov. 5 charter election
Travis County District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble on Thursday ordered the city of Austin to eliminate 13 proposed charter amendments from the Nov. 5 ballot because City Council violated the Texas Open Meetings Act in setting a hearing on the proposed charter items. Other items on the ballot, such as Council races, are not impacted […]
Posted inAISD
Austin ISD is asking voters to approve a new tax rate to help fund pay raises, reduce deficit
The Austin ISD school board is asking voters to approve a higher property tax rate in November that would increase the district’s revenue by tens of millions of dollars. That money would be used to give more than 60 percent of employees a raise and reduce the district’s budget deficit to $78 million. Austin ISD […]
Posted inCourts
Save Our Springs Alliance files another lawsuit against City Council over Open Meetings Act
Claiming that City Council has again violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Save Our Springs Alliance on Monday filed a lawsuit seeking to block the city’s placement of 13 proposed charter amendments on the November ballot. It is the second lawsuit this year the SOS Alliance has filed against Council alleging violation of the […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council formally authorizes November election with 13 proposed charter amendments
City of Austin voters will face a loaded ballot in November, with 13 charter amendments to be decided as well as a full slate of political races to elect a mayor and five City Council members. City Council last week ordered a Nov. 5 general election, which will include a special election for the proposed […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
County commissioners approve tax rate election to raise $75M for child care
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to place a tax rate increase on the November ballot that could generate $75 million per year to improve child care services throughout the area. If approved, the money would be used to increase access to child care and after-school and summer programming activities, which have been found […]