Welcome to LWVAA's Weekly VOTER
The Weekly VOTER is here to make sure everyone stays in the know about opportunities to empower voters and defend democracy in our community. Like what you see? Please share with your friends!
| Three ways to support democracy this week
- 🗳️ Early voting starts today. Help your community make a plan to vote by sharing our Upcoming Elections web page. Share the Voters Guide and VOTE411 for the May 2 Local Election.
- This Saturday, April 25: 🌸 Clear your afternoon. Grab a blanket. Text your people. See you at the Friends & Family Spring Festival!
- 🎒 🚌 If you live in Austin ISD, learn about the AISD Budget issues and take a FY2026-27 Preliminary Budget survey.
| 🌼 This Saturday 🌸
Clear your afternoon. Grab a blanket. Text your people.
Join LWVAA at our Friends & Family Spring Festival from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Windsor Park Branch Library.
🎶 Live music. Poetry. Yoga. Games. Kona Ice. Free. Outside. Community energy at its best.
We’ll be on the lawn. Come find us.
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Highlighted community events
Apr 20:
❤️🩹 Texas Gun Sense - Lunch & Learn with Dr. Brian H. Williams Dr. Williams, a trauma surgeon, U.S. Air Force veteran, and author of The Bodies Keep Coming, will share a brief reading from his book, followed by a moderated audience Q&A on gun violence, public health, and what it will take to build safer communities.
Apr 21:
⚡ Austin Energy - Powering Austin's Clean Energy Future Energy Reliability Workshop where Austin Energy will give an overview of the implementation of its 2035 Resource Plan, discuss locations of potential energy resource and generation options across Austin, and invite residents to share what matters most them and their communities.
Apr 24:
🌱 The Trail Conservancy - Join the 5th annual community-wide Earth Day Clean Up and fundraiser on the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and Lady Bird Lake!
Apr 25:
Apr 26:
Neill-Cochran House Museum - “To the Women of Texas” - Suffrage Campaigns in the Lone Star State Sarah Sonner, Ph.D., will explore the path to suffrage in Texas and its influence on the national passage of the 19th amendment. Highlights include the work of Minnie Fisher Cunningham, the WCTU, and Anna Pennybacker, showing aspects of the complex progress of suffrage on the state and national level. In person and online
|  | 🗳️ First Vote Volunteer Opportunities
Apr 21: First Vote! at Akins Early College High School (South Austin)
We'll be registering voters at a voter registration drive at the Akins Gym. Sign up for a shift here.
Apr 22: First Vote! at Lake Travis High School (Bee Caves/Lakeway area)
We'll be registering students at a voter registration drive at the school's main rotunda. Shifts full; join the waitlist here.
Apr 24: First Vote! at Manor New Tech High School (City of Manor)
We'll meet students in the cafeteria to share our presentation and register eligible high school seniors. Sign up for a shift here.
| | Learn more about registering voters with the League: email voterservices@lwvaustin.org. | 🗳️ Allergy season is here...and so is election season 🤧
This spring, Texas has two elections:
- A local election (think mayors, school boards, city council)
- A runoff election (with roles like attorney general, state reps, and commissioners)
Key dates are coming up fast, and what’s on your ballot depends on where you live.
Make a plan. Show up. Vote. |
🗳️ Elections in the news
Texas Tribune: At least three Texas counties were contacted this week by the Department of Homeland Security for detailed records about individual voters. The subpoenas appear to be linked to a series of efforts by the Trump administration to verify the citizenship of registered voters. Feds subpoena Texas counties for voters’ records
Bipartisan Policy Center: What’s in the New Executive Order on Elections? reviews "the order’s two main provisions, covering what the provision does, the intended goal, what election officials are already doing to meet that goal, and the potential challenges with the provision."
| Speak up on issues that matter!
Local Actions
🏙️ City of Austin Planning: Help shape the future of the heart of Austin. Learn about and provide feedback on the Central City District Plan.
- Online April 21, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Register here
- In person April 22, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Long Center for the Performing Arts Register here
💰 Austin City Budget: Each year, the City prepares a budget that balances community priorities, operational needs, legal mandates, and available revenue. Share your thoughts with city leaders here.
💰 Austin Housing Rental Fee Transparency: Landlords with five or more rental units will be required to give applicants a complete list of fees when they apply for a unit. Read the draft ordinance and provide feedback here.
🎒 🚌 Austin ISD: Budget cuts are coming. Learn about the AISD FY2026-27 Preliminary Planning Budget here and provide feedback:
- Online April 25, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00p.m. on Zoom
- In person April 28, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Austin High School
Find more opportunities to provide feedback on issues important to your community at the link below.
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Take Two LWV Actions
- ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 We need you to stand with the League to demand that Congress reject any additional funding for ICE and CBP. Tell Congress: No More ICE and CBP Funding.
- 🗳️The SAVE Act would create one more barrier to the voting process, as many eligible voters do not have easy access to the necessary documents.Tell Congress to oppose the SAVE Act suite of bills.
LWV News
Keep up with National LWV Actions!
Go to LWV.org to empower voters and defend democracy nationally.
| Highlighted League & community events
May 1-2: 🎶 KUT Festival at UT Austin - Celebrate the Austin community with live music, insightful speakers, and more
May 16: LWVAA 2026 Annual Meeting Celebrate our work over the past year, and chart our course for the year ahead (members: log in to register)
Upcoming Election
🗳️ Texas Primary Runoff Election:
Monday, April 27 - Last day to register to vote
Friday, May 15 - Application for a ballot by mail must be received by County
Monday, May 18 - Friday, May 22 - Early voting
Tuesday, May 26 - Last day ballot by mail must be received by County
Tuesday, May 26 - Election Day
| If you've read this far, it must be worth it.
Share the LWVAA Weekly VOTER with your friends!
|  | Gus the cat is running for pet mayor in the Paws to the Polls: the Great Austin Pet Election coming this summer! |
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| The League shall not support or oppose any political party or candidates. It may take action on governmental measures and policies in the public interest after significant study and consensus is reached. | |