Today is the first day of early voting for the Nov. 4 general election, which includes the Austin City Council 10-1 election. Early voting ends Oct. 31. There are numerous other elections on the ballot, including the Austin Independent School District board, the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District board, and several other positions on municipal utility districts and emergency services districts, depending on where you live. There are about 20 early voting sites around Travis County, and there will be Mobile Voter vans at different locations every day. Residents may cast early ballots at any location — there are no precincts. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. For voting locations and other information, check out the Travis County Elections website.

The Real Estate Council of Austin has announced its picks for Austin’s City Council race, and though members didn’t settle on a mayoral candidate, the group did weigh in on several other races. As part of their endorsement process, 47 of the 78 candidates filled out questionnaires, which can be read here. Those who went on to win endorsements earned support from a super majority of the RECA board of directors. The stringent requirements were not met for candidates in Districts 2, 3 and 4. However, RECA’s website notes that it may endorse candidates in those races during a runoff election, if a super majority consensus is reached. As of now, RECA is endorsing DeWayne Lofton (District 1), Dan Buda (District 5), Pete Phillips (District 6), Becky Bray (District 8) and Chris Riley (District 9). RECA is also recommending Jeb Boyt and Jimmy Paver in the District 7 race and Mandy Dealey, Sheri Gallo and Robert Thomas in the District 10 race.

Though not exactly endorsements, the group Citizens for Tax Relief NOW released the list of candidates who signed its affordability pledge over the weekend. Those candidates are: Todd Phelps and David Orshalick (mayor), Michael Cargill (District 1), Laura Pressley (District 4), Jason Denny and Mike Rodriguez (District 5), Jay Wiley and Don Zimmerman (District 6), Ed English and Pete Salazar (District 7), Ellen Troxclair (District 8), Erin McGann (District 9) and Bill Worsham, Matt Lamon and Margie Burciaga (District 10). The press release from Cindy Mallette, the organization’s leader, explains that the 15 candidates signed a pledge to audit all city departments and functions, support and advocate for a 20 percent homestead exemption, and budget at the effective tax rate. Mallette is perhaps best known as the former Texas Americans for Prosperity communications manager and campaign adviser for Mike McNamara’s Travis County Judge campaign.

The environmental organization Clean Water Action is endorsing the city’s Proposition 1 on this November’s ballot. Prop. 1 would authorize $600 million in bond money for a start-up rail line, subject to the condition of receiving federal matching dollars in the same amount. It would also authorize $400 million in road projects. Clean Water officials called electric rail an “environmentally friendly, proven, cost-effective, dependable means of moving people around,” adding that Prop. 1  would be the first part of a rail system that, once completed, would serve most of the city and the region. “It is crucial to realize that this is not a vote between this rail plan and some other rail plan,” said David Foster, Texas director for Clean Water Action. “This is a vote between this rail plan and no rail plan at all — at least for the foreseeable future.”

In their continued battle against State Highway 45 Southwest, City Council members passed a resolution Thursday that reaffirms their opposition to construction of the road. They asked the city manager to explore the city’s legal options regarding the proposed highway project and to report back to Council before Nov. 20, when it will be discussed during an executive session. The resolution comes on the heels of a September report issued by the city’s Watershed Protection and Transportation Departments. The resolution that was passed Thursday highlights Council’s concerns about Flint Ridge Cave, species preservation, and risks to groundwater and surface water.

The LCRA dedicated a new 540-megawatt combined-cycle power plant in Horseshoe Bay this week. Officials say the Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant is one of the newest, most efficient and reliable electric generating facilities in Texas. The new $500 million natural gas plant replaces the original Thomas C. Ferguson plant on Lake LBJ. Fluor Corporation, which constructed the new plant next to the original Ferguson plant, broke ground on the project in April 2012. LCRA officials say the new plant is among the most environmentally responsible power plants in Texas, producing 30 to 40 percent fewer emissions per megawatt-hour than the old plant and using only one-third of the water of a comparably sized steam plant. The original 420-megawatt Ferguson power plant, built in 1974, was taken offline last year and is being dismantled.

While there have been a plethora of candidate questionnaires and endorsements this election season, one of the most interesting was rolled out recently. The Austin Music People Voter Guide has information that you really won’t find anywhere else, as it is focused on Austin’s music industry. Some 65 of the 78 candidates filled out the questionnaires, making for a lot of reading, we know. One highlight among the candidates’ answers: Mayoral Candidate Steve Adler’s favorite concerts ever were Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead.

There were several appointments to the city’s boards and commissions Thursday. Mayor Lee Leffingwell appointed Nathaniel Bradford and Nicole Sunstrum to the Urban Renewal Board. Council Member Bill Spelman appointed Jessica Mangrum to the Building & Standards Commission. And Council Member Laura Morrison appointed Richard Halprin to the Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force.

City Council Member Bill Spelman plans an amendment during today’s Council meeting to solve an insurance conundrum that is part of an ordinance that would temporarily legalize transportation network companies such as Lyft and Uber. The amendment, which Spelman provided to the Monitor, appears to be modeled after an amendment to California’s new regulations. It states that the TNC is required to provide limited coverage to its drivers while the driver is logged in to the app but has not accepted a ride. This would replace language that requires TNCs to provide primary commercial coverage during that window. It also says that the driver can be covered by “(TNC) insurance maintained by a participating driver,” a type of hybrid insurance that is not yet available, but presumably will be in the future. Meanwhile, a Wednesday news release says a statewide telephone survey commissioned by Yellow Cab of Austin found that Texans want cities to require TNC drivers to pass “city-led” background checks, carry commercial insurance and adhere to standard per-mile rates, regardless of the time of day, that are “clearly expressed.”

City Council will weigh in today on a proposal to initiate historic zoning for the red and white house at 3805 Red River St., also called the International House, against the owner’s wishes. The owner, who purchased the house with several other neighbors in the 1960s to stave off commercial zoning, has applied for a demolition permit. That application caused alarm in the preservation community and to those who have an attachment to the house. Both groups have rallied to save the building and are supporting the historic zoning, which was initiated by the Historic Landmark Commission. Because the owner opposes the zoning and submitted a valid petition to that effect, Council will have to approve the zoning with six or more votes.

Two of the more notable zoning cases at City Council today have valid petitions pending. That means they will have to win a supermajority — six votes — to get the changes they are seeking. It also means the discussion around their proposals will likely be contentious. For one, the Korean Presbyterian Church rezoning in Crestview now has a valid petition against it. The project by developer David Kahn was proposed as an office building when it was at the Planning Commission. More recently, the developer requested a postponement in order to work on plans that will hopefully be more palatable to the neighborhood. At the Planning Commission, neighbors expressed concerns about traffic and said they would prefer duplexes or multifamily houses on the lot. Additionally, a postponed discussion about the proposed hotel at 7th and Congress also now has a valid petition against it. The hotel, which will notably have no on-site parking, is located next to the Hideout. Members of the Hideout’s theater community have expressed concern that construction could disrupt their activities.

Former Austin Mayor Will Wynn is getting behind Mike Martinez, and on Wednesday he announced his endorsement of Martinez in the mayoral race. In a statement, Wynn said, “As a former two-term Austin mayor, I know the job well. That’s why I’m voting for and supporting Mike Martinez. Mike is a thoughtful, committed and inclusive voice at City Hall, and I would be proud to call him my mayor.” Wynn was elected to City Council in 2000 and served as mayor from 2003 to 2009.