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Date: 7/20/2026
Subject: The Weekly VOTER, July 20, 2026 - LWV of the Austin Area
From: LWV of the Austin Area




July 20, 2026


The Weekly VOTER masthead

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! 
 

Empowering Voters.
Defending Democracy.

LWVUS quote
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Read the full statement: League of Women Voters Strongly Denounces President Trumpโ€™s False Claims About Election Security in National Address.
 
Keep up the pressure on Congress

โœŠ๐ŸฝโœŠ๐ŸพโœŠ๐Ÿฟ Take Action: Tell Congress to oppose the SAVE Act Suite of bills


Attend an Event

PAWS to the Polls is coming to Central Austin
Vote for the next Austin Pet Mayor on real voting machines
Will it be the dog or the cat? Only you can decide! Invite your family and friends to join us this Saturday, July 25, from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Baker Center Cafetorium and cast your ballot for Franklin ๐Ÿถ or Gus ๐Ÿฑ.

๐Ÿ“ 3908 Avenue B
 
Every vote this summer counts toward the race for Austin Pet Mayor. Don't sit this one out!
 
๐Ÿพ ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Learn more about Paws to the Polls  
๐Ÿถ ๐Ÿฑ Follow us on Instagram (@lwvaustinarea) to discover which candidate Council Member Ryan Alter endorses!

League & community events this week 
July 20:
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ CEIR Trust Elections Series: Responding to President Trump's Election Claims (online) - Register
๐Ÿ’ฐ City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 7 - RSVP
 
July 21:
๐Ÿ“บ LWV of Larimer County (CO): Is Media Ruining America? Recognizing & Confronting Bias (online) - Register
 
July 22:
๐Ÿ’ก Texas Tribune: How Data Centers Are Reshaping Texas Communities (online) - Register
 
July 24:
๐Ÿ’ฐ City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 9 - RSVP
 
July 25:
๐Ÿพ LWVAA: PAWS to the Polls Central Austin - RSVP
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ LWVAA: First Vote! Training at ACC Highland - Register
๐Ÿ’ฐ City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 6 - RSVP


Volunteer

Volunteer at Paws to the Polls on Saturday, July 25!
๐Ÿพ We need volunteers for our next Paws to the Polls event on July 25 at the Baker Center. Set up, clean up, be a guide, help with activities, register voters, and so much more.
 
Sign up to volunteer here. Pro tip: watch this quick "how to" video before signing up for a shift. If you have questions or need additional assistance, contact Debbi Voss.
 
Promote Paws to the Polls
๐Ÿพ๐Ÿชง Put up a yard sign in your neighborhood or ask local businesses to post flyers. LWVAA has everything you need! The office will be open from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23. Find more information here.
 
Want to help but can't make it during drop-in hours? Contact Joyce Jackson to set up a pick-up time.
 
Train for First Vote!
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Each year, more than 15,000 people turn 18 in Travis County, and many of them turn 18 in their senior year in high school. In 2024, First Vote! volunteers went to 24 schools in the month of September!  We need lots of trained volunteers, VDRs, and presenters to make it happen again in 2026.
 
Register to attend First Vote! Training at ACC Highland on July 25.
 
Contact Susana Carranza at firstvote@lwvaustin.org with any questions
 
Register Voters
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ July 21 & 28 -  Register voters at the Hillside Concert Series
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Every Friday - Register voters at Alamo Drafthouse (Mueller and South Lamar)
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ August 1 - Register voters at Open Canopy
 
๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Visit our calendar to sign up for a shift.
 
Contact the LWVAA  Voters Service Team
 
Find your sweet spot with LWVAA's Speakers Bureau
๐Ÿ˜๏ธ Do you want to get more involved in the League this year? Would you like to help us raise public awareness of LWVAA while educating and encouraging participation in our democracy? Then LWVAA's new Speakers Bureau might be your sweet spot!
 
Volunteers are already hard at work creating presentations, and speaker training has begun. But there's so much more work to do! If public speaking isn't for you, there are plenty of opportunities to work behind the scenes.
 
๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ July 30 - Log in and register to join us on Zoom to Find Your Sweet Spot With the Speakers Bureau 
 
Contact Barbara Martin, Speakers Bureau Coordinator, to learn more.
 
Volunteer with us!
Email volunteer@lwvaustin.org to learn more about sharing your time and talents with LWVAA.

Democracy in the News

Texas Tribune: 
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ "[Robert] Howdenโ€™s appointment follows weeks of speculation over who would take over running Texasโ€™ elections before the November midterms." Read "Robert Howden, Abbott aide, to succeed Jane Nelson as Texasโ€™ top election official" by Eleanor Klibanoff.

Advocacy

Provide feedback on the City of Austin budget    

๐Ÿ’ฐ Attend a budget town hall. Find meeting dates and more information here and on our calendar

๐Ÿ“ค If you can't attend a town hall, send your comments, questions, or suggestions about the City budget here.

๐Ÿ“ง Email City Council members.

๐Ÿ“‹ Complete a short survey from Mayor Kirk Watson by 12:00 p.m. today to share your thoughts on the budget.

๐Ÿ“ข Make your voice heard!

The Austin Current

๐ŸŽ’๐Ÿ“š Read "Austin ISD approved $205M in cuts. Hereโ€™s what changes for schools this fall" by Acacia Coronado
๐Ÿ™๏ธ Read "Charter amendment or ordinance? Comparing Austinโ€™s two similar independent audit plans ahead of the election" by Sam Stark
๐ŸŒณ๐Ÿšฃ Read "What is Dog's Head? A guide to Austin's biggest proposed development" by Andrea Ball

Austin American Statesman

๐ŸŽ’๐Ÿ“š Read "What a state takeover could change for Austin ISD students and families" by Keri Heath

Contact: Jazmin Cuellar, Advocacy Director, at advocacy@lwvaustin.org.

Demand justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo!

โœŠ๐ŸฝโœŠ๐ŸพโœŠ๐Ÿฟ When government actions result in the loss of life, the public deserves answers.

On July 7, 2026, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot and killed by ICE agents in Houston. Multiple investigations are underway, but many questions remain unanswered. LWV Texas is calling for a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation. Accountability and oversight are essential to maintaining public trust.

Learn more and contact your elected officials today to urge them to support full transparency.


Delegates at the LWVUS Convention vote on new priorities, focusing on Defending a Democracy under Siege

Every two years, League members from across the country gather to chart our shared direction. This year, the delegates from LWVAA were Grace Chimene, Communications Team Lead, and Valerie DeBill, VP Voters Services.

The headline from the Convention is a new theme for our work for the next two years. Making Democracy Work is being retired in favor of something that speaks directly to this moment: Defending a Democracy under Siege. There are six focus areas that will anchor the League's work for the next two years:
 
  • Voting Rights: Making sure every eligible voter can register, cast a ballot, and have it counted accurately
  • Protecting Elections: Keeping elections fair, accessible, and representative of all Americans
  • Redistricting: Pushing for transparent, accountable redistricting and safeguarding the U.S. Census
  • Immigration: Advocating for a fair immigration process and a path to citizenship
  • Individual Rights: Defending constitutional freedoms against efforts to erode them
  • The Presidency: Reinforcing checks and balances among the three branches, including support for abolishing the Electoral College through the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
LWVAA will build these priorities into our work in 2026 and 2027.
 
Read the full article.


Mark Your Calendar!

Highlighted League & community events
July 27:
National Constitution Center: The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction (online) - Register
City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 8 (online) - RSVP
 
July 28:
LWV of Larimer County (CO): Is Media Ruining America? Surviving the Avalanche of Fake News (online) - RSVP
 
July 29:
City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 2 - RSVP

July 30:
LWVAA: Find Your Sweet Spot With the Speakers Bureau (online) - Register (log in first!)
 
July 31:
LWVAA Summer Mixer at The Brewtorium - RSVP

If you've read this far, it must be worth it.
Share the LWVAA Weekly VOTER with your friends!
 

Take a moment to smile.

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Email: lwvaustin@lwvaustin.org
Phone: 512-451-6710
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3908 Avenue B
Austin, TX 78751

The League of Women Voters Austin Area is proud to be a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties, but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public.

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