Skip to main content

 

  
Date: 8/31/2026
Subject: 🗳️ The Weekly VOTER, August 31, 2026 - LWV of the Austin Area
From: LWV of the Austin Area




August 31, 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.

Suffrage quote
✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 Women’s Equality Day 2026: Voting Rights Today And Lessons From The Suffragists. By Holly Corbet. Originally published in Forbes. 
⚖️ LWVUS response to SCOTUS ruling on USPS
Watch Celina Steward, League of Women Voters CEO, discuss the USPS ruling with FOX 5 news.
Read Voting Rights Groups Move to Block Newly-Finalized Mail Ballot Rule
Read Federal Court Grants Emergency Relief Blocking USPS From Implementing Newly-Finalized Mail Ballot Rule For November Election.
 
For now, voters who vote by mail can continue to follow Texas' existing rules.
LWV will keep you informed through the Weekly VOTER every Monday morning or on our website, LWVAustin.org.

Three things to do for democracy this week
🇺🇸 Find opportunities to volunteer for democracy on LWVAA's calendar
🗳️ Show your friends how to check their voter registration at VOTE411.org
📬 Learn about voting by mail in Travis County

Attend an Event

 Help safeguard the November elections! 
🗳️ Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in September. The League of Women Voters, a proud member of the Election Protection coalition, encourages volunteers to sign up for poll monitor training led by Common Cause. The Election Protection program and its volunteers make sure eligible voters know how to cast their ballots and ensure they are counted. All poll monitor volunteers must attend one training session. Sign up for a session here.

Apply today!
LBJ Women's Campaign School is a nonpartisan training program for leaders who plan to run for office or manage a political campaign. The program will begin on January 16, 2027, with the intention of training potential candidates and campaign staff for the elections of 2027, 2028, and 2029. Apply here by September 30.

LWVAA maintains an online event calendar for meetings, trainings, voter outreach, and registration opportunities.
 

Volunteer

volunteers at first vote event
🗳️ Sign up to volunteer with First Vote! 📚
Volunteer opportunities on our calendar:
  • Crockett ECHS on 9/2 & 3 (S Austin)
  • Travis ECHS on 9/9 & 10 (S Austin)
  • McCallum HS on 9/9 & 10 (N Austin)
  • Akins ECHS on 9/11 (S Austin)
Save the date for upcoming signups:
  • PACE HS on 9/4 (City of Pflugerville)
  • Anderson HS on 9/14 & 15 (N Austin)
  • Navarro ECHS on 9/16 & 17 (N Austin)
  • Manor New Teck HS on 9/18 (City of Manor)
  • Hendrickson HS on 9/22 (City of Pflugerville)
  • Del Valle HS on 9/23 (City of Del Valle)
  • Weiss HS on 9/24 & 25 (City of Pflugerville)
🚌 We're still coordinating schedules with many schools in the area, so look for more schools to be added the calendar soon.  We expect to have schools visits most days between September 2 and October 2. As we get closer to the deadline, we might have multiple schools on the same day.

Hope you can find one or more signups that work for you!

Email Susana Carranza, First Vote! Chair, to learn more.

PAWS to the Polls at Civics Future Fest
Paws to the Polls is headed to Civic Futures Fest!
🐾 The next stop for our Paws to the Polls team is Civic Futures Fest! Come to Doris Miller Auditorium on Saturday, September 12, for a free, family-friendly event celebrating community, civic participation, and the future of Central Texas.

🐾 Stop by Paws to the Polls!
🎶 Enjoy a live performance from local singing group The Levites and a music set from DJ Shani of KUTX
🍴 Grab some food and enjoy family-friendly activities
💬 Hear from community leaders about small business support, housing, transit, and ways to help shape our community’s future

Free and open to everyone in the Austin community.

📅 Saturday, September 12
⏰ 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
📍 Doris Miller Auditorium

Learn more and RSVP here
 
Volunteer at Paws to the Polls
🐾 Your next and final chance to volunteer for Paws to the Polls will be on September 22 at ACC Highland. Volunteer signups will be posted closer to the event date.
 
Help us spread the word about the midterm elections
🪧 Share voter education material from LWVAA. Voter info bookmarks, VOTE411 how-tos, voting plan checklists, yard signs and flyers for Paws to the Polls -- we've got what you need! Swing by our office between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, and we'll fix you up! More information here.
 
Need supplies but can't make it during drop-in hours? Contact Joyce Jackson to arrange a pick-up time.
 
Looking for a way to volunteer with LWVAA?
🗣️ Consider the Speakers Bureau. Don't let the name fool you: it's not just for speakers! Do you like to do research? Can you create engaging presentations? Can you help train speakers? Then we need you! Email Barbara Martin, our Speakers Bureau Coordinator, to learn more. And if an organization you know is looking for someone to speak about the upcoming election, invite them to complete this form.
 
Help us launch a Membership Committee. Members have told us that they want more chances to get together informally and in small groups. They want us to offer more events that combine socializing and education (anyone remember Pinot and Policy?). And we want to be able to take advantage of opportunities to raise awareness of the League within the Austin community. To make these things a reality, we need your ideas, your enthusiasm, and your willingness to pitch in! To learn more and to volunteer, email Joyce Jackson, Membership Chair.

🗳️ Let's register some voters!
Are you a Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR)? Become one today
Registration is the first step in empowering voters.
September 4
Manor ISD football games
Alamo Lakeline / Alamo South Lamar / Alamo Mueller / Alamo Slaughter
September 5
September 11
Alamo Lakeline / Alamo South Lamar / Alamo Mueller / Alamo Slaughter
September 12
Alamo Lakeline
CABAM! Con at Austin Central Library

🗓️ Find more voter registration opportunities on our calendar.

Volunteer with us!
Email our Voters Service team to learn more about sharing your time and talents with LWVAA.

Democracy in the News

Public schools
🏫 Read What to know about state takeovers as Texas wrestles with the future of Austin public schools. More districts across Texas are at risk of intervention by the state’s education commissioner. Here’s what that means for public schools. - Sneha Dey, Texas Tribune

Advocacy

Did you know?
"Harden said city staff plan to bring some proposed rules back to the council for approval in phases. She hopes the first round of regulations could be ready for review by the end of the year. In the meantime, any large-scale data center projects proposed within the city are required to receive council approval before moving forward."
Read Austin begins writing new rules to manage, potentially ban large-scale data centers - Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT
Read Gov. Abbott has ordered a 'pause' on data center approvals. Will it make a difference? - Natalie Webber,Houston Public Media
Watch the press conference: Austin city leaders talk proposed new rules for large data centers
 
Join the Advocacy team! Contact Jazmin Cuellar, Advocacy Director.

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming League & community events 
September 9:
National Constitution Center: The 1st Amendment & Artificial Intelligence - Register
September 12
Civic Futures Fest (Paws to the Polls will be there!) - RSVP
September 15
Votebeat: Will the Midterms Happen? Your Election Questions Answered - Register
September 16
LWV of Roselle-Bloomingdale (IL): Health Care Affordability Crisis: Reforms We Needed Yesterday - Register
September 17:
City Council District 5 Candidate Forum - RSVP
September 19:
LWVAA: Freedom of the Press in a Digital World - Register
September 21:
City Council District 8 Candidate Forum - RSVP
September 22:
LWVAA: Paws to the Polls at ACC Highland - RSVP
September 23:
Hands Off Central TX: Election Law & Election Protection Training - Details coming soon
September 24:
Austin Equity and Inclusion: Know Your Rights - Refugees' Rights - Join webinar
September 26:
LWVAA & Braver Angels Central Texas: The Life of the Party film screening & community conversation - Tickets
September 29:
City Council District 9 Candidate Forum - RSVP

LWVUS

📢 Take Action! 
Tell Congress to reject anti-voter policies.
 
News!
Read Voting Rights Organizations Seek to Enforce Injunction Against Mail Voting Executive Order
Read League of Women Voters Joins Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation as Historic Partner; CEO Celina Stewart is Named to Council of Ambassadors


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

Take a moment to smile.

Franklin
Franklin is a celebrity!
Yesterday I was walking Franklin. A nice lady reached down to pet him. She said she recognized my dog from a video. Find PAWS to the Polls  on our website and on your favotie social media platform.
- Grace Chimene VP Communications 

Give to Support the League of Women Voters of the Austin Area

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.

  Follow Us

Support Us

Contact Us

Email: lwvaustin@lwvaustin.org
Phone: 512-451-6710
LWV Austin Area
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.

The League of Women Voters Austin Area is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and tax exempt organization.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowable under the law. Tax identification number:
81-3447172