League of Women Voters of the Austin Area's Voters Guide Goes Live on VOTE411
For the first time in its 107-year history, the League of Women Voters of the Austin Area (LWVAA) used AI to help find official ballot language buried in city and county records, then checked every source by hand, cutting weeks of research to days.
TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS - Ahead of the midterm election, the League of Women Voters of the Austin Area (LWVAA) offers the Voters Guide, a trusted nonpartisan election resource. This year the Voters Guide covers candidates running in the midterm election for state, county, city, and school district offices. We also provide explanations for local propositions and bonds that voters may see on their ballots.
Find the Voters Guide available in three languages.
• The English edition is an insert in this week's Austin Chronicle (Oct. 8 issue)
• In print in English and Spanish at libraries, community centers, and businesses beginning Friday, Oct. 9
• Find the online guide lwvaustin.org/Voters-Guide and on vote411.org/tx-lwvaa, vote411.org/es/tx-lwvaa where voters can enter their address to see their own ballot. Online Voters Guides are in English, Spanish and Chinese (online only).
"From local ballot initiatives to important state races, it's crucial that voters in Travis and Williamson County make their voices heard in this midterm election," said Carol Eckelkamp, president of the League of Women Voters of the Austin Area. "The Voters Guide is a trusted election resource that provides voters with the information they need to make an informed vote this fall. The League of Women Voters of the Austin Area has provided our Voters Guide in English and Spanish as a resource for all Travis and Williamson County voters."
What's new this year? Every local proposition and bond measure in the Voters Guideincludes its official ballot language and a plain-language explanation. In past years, LWVAA volunteers spent weeks tracking down information through phone calls to commissions and council offices and combing through meeting minutes. This year, AI helped volunteers locate the information in days rather than weeks. Importantly, every source was independently verified against original government documents before the explanations were written.
“Most voters are juggling work, family, and everyday responsibilities. They simply don't have the time to dig through hundreds of pages of government documents,” said Eckelkamp. “That's where our organization comes in. We do the research so voters have accurate, trustworthy information to help them make informed decisions at the ballot box.”
We've been busy registering voters at high schools, community events, businesses, parks and nonprofits. Now it's time to pivot to getting out the vote, and that starts with the Voters Guide.
With the Voters Guide, VOTE411, and other voter education resources available in both English and Spanish, the League of Women Voters nationally helps millions each year — many of them young people and first-time voters — learn more about what's on their ballot, where candidates stand on the issues, how to find their polling place, and more.
"The League of Women Voters of the Austin Area is pleased to provide this important nonpartisan resource to Travis and Williamson County voters," said Carol Eckelkamp. "We encourage voters to pick up our Voters Guide and visit VOTE411.org to make a voting plan so they're prepared to vote confidently!"
Photo and video opportunities
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When
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Where
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What you'll see
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Thu, Oct. 8
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Austin Chronicle racks citywide
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Open the Oct. 8 Austin Chronicle and find the LWVAAVoters Guide.Approximately 52,000 copies of the Austin Chronicle will be distributed this week to about 1,400 locations throughout Travis County.
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Fri, Oct. 9
9:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.
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ACES A/C Supply Inc
1810 Rutherford Ln
Austin, TX 78754
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Volunteers haul bundles of 25Voters Guidesout to a line of cars, waiting to load them in trunks and in six hours, thousands of guides are delivered to business, churches, libraries,and community centers by dedicated volunteers.
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Fri, Oct. 9onward
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Libraries, community centers, businesses, select HEB, Central Markets, Whole Foods stores
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28,000 English and 12,000 SpanishVoters Guidesare on counters and racks across Travis County. A map will be placed onwww.lwvaustin.orgas distribution progresses.
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Spokespeople available: Carol Eckelkamp, President (English); Claudia Torres Yañez, VP Voter Services (English & Spanish)
Background for reporters (more available on request)
• How the AI research worked: LWVAA already knew which cities, counties and districts had propositions and bonds. What it needed was each measure's official ballot language. Volunteers used AI to locate that language inside agendas, minutes and drafts for the large and small jurisdictions in Travis County, then pulled the original documents and confirmed every item before writing the explainers. AI also helped draft plain-language wording, which volunteers reviewed and edited.
• Candidates' own words: We print candidate answers verbatim and do not edit them.
• By the numbers: about 52,000 guides in the Chronicle, plus 28,000 English and 12,000 Spanish printed copies. Online versions are also available.
Key Election Dates
• Monday, Oct. 19: first day to vote early in person
• Friday, Oct. 23: last day for the county to receive a ballot-by-mail application
• Friday, Oct. 30: last day to vote early in person
• Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day, and the day a mailed ballot must be received by the county (learn about voting by mail at lwvaustin.org)
Election Info:
Travis County https://votetravis.gov/current-election-information/current-election/
Williamson County https://www.wilcotx.gov/185/Elections
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The League of Women Voters of the Austin Area is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public. We encourage informed and active participation in government, work to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influence public policy through education and advocacy.