Update - Five Days Left to Vote Early: Students, First-Time Voters Get a Hands-On Preview

The League of Women Voters brings a real voting machine, Voters Guides and ballot worksheets to Austin Community College today, as ACC students march to the polls behind two high school bands and early voting enters its final days.

TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS - Early voting in the Nov. 3 midterm election ends this Friday, Oct. 30. With five days left, the League of Women Voters of the Austin Area (LWVAA) is focusing on young and first-time voters, who are often the least likely to know what to expect when they walk into a polling place.

Today at ACC Eastview, League volunteers will bring back Paws to the Polls, the League's summer program that lets voters try a real ballot-marking machine on a lighthearted ballot (a cat named Gus versus a dog named Franklin), so students can see exactly how voting works before they cast a real ballot. The League's Let's Vote table is part of ACC's Riverbat Bash from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Then ACC's Parade to the Polls kicks off: a 2 p.m. rally in the ACC Eastview Courtyard (behind Building 2000), followed at 3 p.m. by the Northeast Early College High School Soul Raiders Drumline and the Eastside Early College High School "Pride of the Eastside" Marching Band leading students up Thompson Street to vote early at the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex, 1156 Hargrave St.

"A lot of first-time voters stay home because they don't want to feel lost once they're in the booth. Trying a voting machine for a few minutes and looking up your ballot ahead of time takes the mystery out of it. Then you can walk in, vote, and know you got it right." said Claudia Torres-Yañez, Vice President of Voter Services. 

Where to find the League this week

• Mon, Oct. 26, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.: Riverbat Bash, ACC Eastview, 3401 Webberville Rd. Let's Vote table with the Paws to the Polls voting-machine demo

• Mon, Oct. 26, 2–5 p.m.: ACC Parade to the Polls. Rally at 2 p.m. in the ACC Eastview Courtyard; bands lead the march at 3 p.m. up Thompson Street to the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex polling place, 1156 Hargrave St.

• Tue, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.: Riverbat Bash, ACC Highland, 6101 Highland Campus Dr.

• Thu, Oct. 29, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.: ACC Votes Fest at ACC Highland (Upper Paseo, between Buildings 2000 and 4000): an outdoor concert with nonpartisan voting resources for students heading to early voting at the Austin Permitting and Development Center nearby. Hosted by ACC.

• Fri, Oct. 30, 7–10 p.m.: Let's Vote tables at Alamo Drafthouse Mueller and Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane (last day of early voting)

• Sat, Oct. 31, 7–10 p.m.: Let's Vote tables at Alamo Drafthouse Mueller and Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline

Before you go: a checklist for young and first-time voters

1. See your ballot. Enter your address at VOTE411.org to find out which districts you vote in and get a personalized ballot with candidate information. Many young voters are surprised that their ballot includes races like community college trustees, school board and local propositions.

2. Write it down. Print the League's Midterm Election Ballot Worksheet and fill in your choices. Phones and other devices can't be used in the voting booth in Texas. English: lwvaustin.org/handlers/celinks.ashx?id=185262 · Spanish: lwvaustin.org/handlers/celinks.ashx?id=185263

3. Bring an acceptable photo ID. A Texas driver's license, Texas ID card, U.S. passport or certain other IDs. Student IDs are not on the list. Full list at VoteTexas.gov.

4. Pick a time and place. In Travis County you can vote at any early voting location through Friday. VoteTravis.gov shows every site and its current wait time.

5. Students from other counties: see lwvaustin.org/Voting-in-College for where and how you can vote.

Vote at your neighborhood library

Four Austin Public Library branches are polling places for both early voting and Election Day: Carver (1161 Angelina St.), Cepeda (651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd.), Ruiz (1600 Grove Blvd.) and Menchaca Road (5500 Menchaca Rd.). Ten more branches are Election Day sites, and in Williamson County the Spicewood Springs Branch (8637 Spicewood Springs Rd.) is open for both. Full list: library.austintexas.gov/news/2026-election-information. Library branches also carry the League's printed Voters Guides while supplies last.

Voters who didn't get a printed copy of the League's Voters Guide can find the full guide, in English, Spanish and Chinese, at lwvaustin.org/Voters-Guide and VOTE411.org. Short, visual explainers on propositions, bonds, City Council races and other down-ballot contests, produced with The Austin Common, are on Instagram at @the_austin_common and @lwvaustinarea.

Photo and video opportunities

Spokespeople available: Claudia Torres-Yañez, VP Voter Services (English & Spanish), 512-680-6011; Valerie DeBill, Director of Voter Registration & Turnout (English), 512-699-8470

Key election dates

• Friday, Oct. 30: last day of early voting

• Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day, polls open 7 a.m.–7 p.m., and the day a mailed ballot must be received by the county

Election information: 

Travis County: votetravis.gov

Williamson County: wilcotx.gov/185/Elections

Voters Guide: lwvaustin.org/Voters-Guide · VOTE411.org

###

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.