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!
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PS – This page has info about the upcoming November 2025 election. If you’re looking for all of our past election coverage, click here.
Current Election
Election Day is on November 4th.
Important dates:
Early voting starts on October 20th and lasts through October 31st
The last date to register to vote for this election is October 6th
What will be on the ballot? If you live in Austin, you likely won’t see any candidate names on your ballot this year, but you will see several important propositions:
Prop Q – a City of Austin tax rate election
17 proposed state constitutional amendments
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:
Check out our Guides...
This guide gives you all the basics – what’s Prop Q, how it will impact you, and why people support or oppose it.
Listen to in-depth interviews with Council Member Chito Vela (who voted for the city’s budget that ultimately put Prop Q on the ballot) and Council Member Marc Duchen, who voted against it.
In the first video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focus on parks.
In the second video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focused on mental health emergency response services.
In the first video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focus on the Austin Animal Shelter.
Prop Q Guide
This guide gives you all the basics - what's Prop Q, how it will impact you, and why people support or oppose it.
Prop Q Podcast
Listen to in-depth interviews with Council Member Chito Vela (who voted for the city's budget that ultimately put Prop Q on the ballot) and Council Member Marc Duchen, who voted against it.
Prop Q And Parks
In the first video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focus on parks.
Prop Q And Mental Health
In the second video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focused on mental health emergency response services.
Prop Q And Animals
In the first video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focus on the Austin Animal Shelter
Looking for more context?
Austin’s Proposition Q is all about the city’s budget and property taxes… two very confusing topics! To give you some context (and the crucial background info you need to understand the entire Prop Q debate), check out these explainers we produced over the course of the last year (ordered from most recent, to oldest).
City of Austin Prop Q
This guide was created after City Council voted to put Prop Q on the ballot. It provides a deep dive on how property taxes work in Texas and how much Prop Q will cost you (if passed).
Draft Budget
This guide was published in July, before City Council approved the final budget (which would eventually bring us to Prop Q). It provides good info on the city manager's "base budget" and how we got to where we are today.
What is a Tax Rate Election?
This video (originally published in August) explains what a tax rate election (or TRE) is and debate within Council about whether or not to put it on the ballot.
Where Do Your Property Taxes Go?
A quick video explainer (featuring M&M's) about where your property taxes actually go.
Homelessness Funding
Back in April, the city's Homeless Strategy Officer, David Gray, presented a plan (and a budget) to City Council, designed to truly make a difference in addressing our city's homelessness crisis. Funding this plan is a significant component of Prop Q and the TRE.
Budget Deficits
Back in April, city staff presented City Council with a five-year financial forecast for the city, one that predicted deficits in the coming years. In many ways, this kicked off the entire TRE conversation, since another motivating factor in putting Prop Q on the ballot was to address the deficit.
This guide was created after City Council voted to put Prop Q on the ballot. It provides a deep dive on how property taxes work in Texas and how much Prop Q will cost you (if passed).
This guide was published in July, before City Council approved the final budget (which would eventually bring us to Prop Q). It provides good info on the city manager’s “base budget” and how we got to where we are today.
This video (originally published in August) explains what a tax rate election (or TRE) is and debate within Council about whether or not to put it on the ballot.
A quick video explainer (featuring M&M’s) about where your property taxes actually go.
Back in April, the city’s Homeless Strategy Officer, David Gray, presented a plan (and a budget) to City Council, designed to truly make a difference in addressing our city’s homelessness crisis. Funding this plan is a significant component of Prop Q and the TRE.
Back in April, city staff presented City Council with a five-year financial forecast for the city, one that predicted deficits in the coming years. In many ways, this kicked off the entire TRE conversation, since another motivating factor in putting Prop Q on the ballot was to address the deficit.