Local Election Guides
Elections are a powerful thing. It might sound cliche, but they really are one of the best ways to make your voice be heard and create a positive impact on this world.
But they also can be really confusing! With so many names on the ballot and the craziness that comes with a 24-hour news cycle, it can be hard to figure out what you’re even supposed to pay attention to.
At The Austin Common, we’re dedicated to actually explaining the news and giving you the tools you need to cast an informed ballot by Election Day, with a special focus on local elections. After all, these are the races that can have the biggest impact on your everyday life… and they’re often the ones that get ignored.
So, calling all first-time voters, sometimes voters, overwhelmed/busy voters, and disenchanted-with-national-elections-voters, these resources are for you!
Want to make sure you don’t miss anything? Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@The_Austin_Common) and/or subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.
Current Election
Election Day is on November 5th.
Important dates:
Early voting starts on October 21st and lasts through November 1st
The last date to register to vote for this election is October 7th
What will be on the ballot? We all know there’s a big presidential race on the ballot this year, but here at The Austin Common, we’ll be focusing on the local races that matter most to our community. They include…
5 City Council seats (Districts 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10). You can figure out which Council district you live in here.
The District 2, 4, and 6 guides are coming soon!
Mayor of Austin (even though Mayor Kirk Watson was just elected two years ago, we’re having another mayoral election this year, to get our city’s mayoral elections on the same timeline as presidential elections)
Two local propositions – Travis County Prop A & AISD Prop A
PS – Be sure to look up your personalized sample ballot before going to the polls. You can look up your sample ballot on your county’s website:
Travis County Prop A
An easy-to-read guide all about Travis County Prop A (which is about local affordable child care access).
AISD Prop A
An easy-to-read guide all about AISD Prop A (which is about increasing teacher pay and reducing the school district's deficit.)
Mayoral Election
Learn about the five candidates running to become the next mayor of Austin - Carmen Llanes Pulido, Jeffery Bowen, Doug Greco, Kirk Watson, and Kathie Tovo.
Mayoral Election Podcast
Hear directly from the candidates running to be the next mayor of Austin
City Council District 10
Learn about the two candidates running to be the next District 10 Austin City Council member - March Duchen and Ashika Ganguly.
City Council District 10 Podcast
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 10 Austin City Council member.
City Council District 7
Learn about the six candidates running to be the next District 7 Austin City Council member - Pierre Huy Nguyễn, Todd Shaw, Edwin Bautista, Mike Siegel, Adam Powell, and Gary Bledsoe
District 7 Podcast
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 7 Austin City Council member.
City Council District 6
Learn about the two candidates running to be the next District 6 Austin City Council member - Mackenzie Kelly and Krista Laine.
District 6 Podcast
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 6 Austin City Council member.
City Council District 4
Learn about the five candidates running to be the next District 4 Austin City Council member - Louis Herrin, Monica Guzmán, Eduardo "Lalito" Romero, José "Chito" Vela, and Jim Rabuck.
District 4 Podcast
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 4 Austin City Council member.
District 2 Podcast
There are only two candidates in this race - current Council Member Vanessa Fuentes and Robert Reynolds. However, Robert Reynolds did not respond to our interview request, does not appear to have a campaign website, and did not respond to the League of Women Voters Guide. So, for the District 2 race, we weren't able to do a complete guide comparing the two candidates. Instead, we put together this podcast episode, featuring an interview with Vanessa Fuentes.
An easy-to-read guide all about AISD Prop A (which is about increasing teacher pay and decreasing the school district’s deficit.)
An easy-to-read guide all about Travis County Prop A (which is about local affordable child care access).
Learn about the five candidates running to become the next mayor of Austin – Carmen Llanes Pulido, Jeffery Bowen, Doug Greco, Kirk Watson, and Kathie Tovo.
Learn about the two candidates running to be the next District 10 Austin City Council member – March Duchen and Ashika Ganguly.
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 10 Austin City Council member.
Learn about the six candidates running to be the next District 7 Austin City Council member – Pierre Huy Nguyễn, Todd Shaw, Edwin Bautista, Mike Siegel, Adam Powell, and Gary Bledsoe.
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 7 Austin City Council member.
Learn about the two candidates running to be the next District 6 Austin City Council member – Mackenzie Kelly and Krista Laine.
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 6 Austin City Council member.
Learn about the five candidates running to be the next District 4 Austin City Council member – Louis Herrin, Monica Guzmán, Eduardo “Lalito” Romero, José “Chito” Vela, and Jim Rabuck.
Hear directly from the candidates running to become the next District 4 Austin City Council member.
There are only two candidates in this race – current Council Member Vanessa Fuentes and Robert Reynolds. However, Robert Reynolds did not respond to our interview request, does not appear to have a campaign website, and did not respond to the League of Women Voters Guide. So, for the District 2 race, we weren’t able to do a complete guide comparing the two candidates. Instead, we put together this podcast episode, featuring an interview with Vanessa Fuentes.