Local government is important. It’s the branch of government that affects your life the most, and yet, many of us can barely remember the name of our mayor or City Council member. That’s why we break it all down for you in a way that’s clear, easy-to-understand, and even a little fun. No PhD in poli sci needed!
New to The Austin Common? Here’s two ways we suggest learning more about local government:
#1 – Get yourself a copy of “A Beginner’s Guide To Local Government: Austin Edition.”
#2 – Start reading our Civics 101 news stories, conveniently laid out for you below.
Our series on the March 2022 Texas primaries continues with an episode focused on several Texas Legislature races impacting the Central Texas community. In particular, this episode features candidates running in Texas House District 51 Democratic primary, including Claire Campos-O’Neal, Cody Arn, Maria Luisa “Lulu”
Summary An important race to decide who will be the next Travis County Commissioner representing Precinct 4 (southeast Travis County) is on the ballot for this March primary election. Action Box Vote! Vote! Vote! Early voting begins on February 14th & Election Day is March
Early voting for the Texas primaries starts on February 14th & Election Day is March 1st. The ballot is pretty long, but if you care about climate change, health care, and criminal justice reform, there are two really important local races on your ballot –
Summary An important race to decide who will be the next Travis County Commissioner representing Precinct 2 (central/west Austin) is on the ballot for this March primary election. Action Box Vote! Vote! Vote! Early voting begins on February 14th & Election Day is March 1st.
Summary We’ve put together a list of 9 simple ways you can get more involved in local government in Austin in 2022. Action Box Get more involved in your local community in 2022 by pledging to do 1 (or all 9) of the things on
Summary This is our list of all the current Austin City Council members (plus the mayor) and their social media accounts. Action Box Find your City Council member on the list below, follow them on social media, and subscribe to their email newsletter. Following your
On January 25th, Austinites living in District 4 (north/east Austin) will have the chance to elect a new City Council member. (Greg Casar, the current District 4 Council member, is leaving his seat early to run for Congress.) Austin Common Radio Hour host Amy Stansbury
Summary A special election is being held on January 25th for the District 4 Austin City Council seat. Action Box Vote! Vote! Vote! If you live in District 4, don’t forget that Election Day is on January 25th and early voting lasts from January 10th
Summary Austin Common Editor-In-Chief Amy Stansbury looks back at some of the biggest moments at The Austin Common in 2021. Action Box Join The Common Club and give the gift of a strong local democracy this holiday season. 2021 was quite a year… and a
Summary In the wake of a land development code rewrite that is caught up in the legal system, Council is working on short term code improvements that could increase housing supply & affordability in Austin. Action Box Housing affordability is going to be one of
Summary From October 31st to November 13th, global leaders gathered in Scotland for the COP26 United Nations climate summit. The decisions they made will impact our planet for generations to come. Action Box Get involved with a local organization that is dedicated to encouraging climate
On November 2nd, Austinites will have to vote on two very important ballot initiatives – Prop A & B. Prop A is about the size of Austin’s police force & Prop B is about a potential park swap. Both of them could have a