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. | Three things you can do for democracy this week
- Email your Texas Senators and tell them to oppose the Voter ID Act.
- Email Austin City Council members about one issue impacted by the proposed budget.
- Confirm that your voter registration is up to date.
Two reasons to confirm your voter registration today
- LWV Texas is seeking League members who updated their voter registration when they updated or renewed their driver’s license or ID card online through the Texas Department of Public Safety website. If your voter registration did not update, please reach out immediately to Karla Maradiaga with the Texas Civil Rights Project and LWV Texas.
- Read: State finds some registered Texas voters were wrongly flagged as potential noncitizens by Natalia Contreras for The Texas Tribune.
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  It was a close vote last weekend. The cats came out for the cat and the dogs came out for the dog. But Franklin inched out by just a dog hair!
Did the dark money scandal hurt Gus's chances? Some of his supporters who showed up would disagree, but the Franklin cohort was just too strong this time.
If your candidate didn’t come out on top this weekend, don’t panic! And if they did, don’t get too comfortable. The final result won’t be decided until the end of the summer. Until then, the race is still on!
If you want your favorite candidate to win, you have to show up and vote in person! Find a Paws to the Polls event near you, and VOTE!
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League & community events this week
August 3:
City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 10 - RSVP
August 4:
LWV of Larimer County (CO): Is Media Ruining America? AI and Its Threats to Our Democracy (online) - Register
August 5:
City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 5 - RSVP
August 6:
LWVUS Unite & Rise for Voting Rights: A Virtual Pep Rally - RSVP
August 7:
Connecting Austin - Transit Family Fun Day Learn more
August 8:
Unite & Rise With LWV of the Austin Area - Paws to the Polls - RSVP
August 10:
LWV of Larimer City, CO: Is Media Ruining America? (Part 5) Register
City of Austin Budget Town Hall, District 3 - RSVP
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LWVAA maintains an online event calendar for meetings, trainings, voter outreach, and registration opportunities.
| LWV volunteers register voters at Hillside Concert Series and at AISD's Enroll & Engage event.
Give a big shout-out to the volunteer VDR who made all the connections with Central Health Hornsby Bend and asked LWV to help. It was her first time registering voters! | Help us spread the word about Paws to the Polls
🐾🪧 Put up a yard sign or two in your neighborhood, or ask local businesses to post flyers. LWVAA has everything you need! Swing by our office any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 6, and we'll fix you up! Find more information here.
Want to help but can't make it during drop-in hours? Contact Joyce Jackson to arrange a pick-up time.
Volunteer at Paws to the Polls
🐾 Our next volunteer opportunity for Paws to the Polls will be on Thursday, August 13, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Central Health Southeast. Be on the lookout for an email inviting you to sign up for a shift.
Get ready! Get set! Register voters!
August 4
August 7
August 8
August 14
Alamo Lamar & Alamo Mueller - Sign up
August 21
Alamo Lamar & Alamo Mueller - Sign up
August 23
August 28
Alamo Lamar & Alamo Mueller - Sign up
🗓️ Find more voter registration opportunities on our Calendar. Want to help? Contact the LWVAA Voters Service team.
|  | Looking for a meaningful way to get more involved with the League?
✨ Do you enjoy meeting new people?
✨ Love building community?
✨ Want to help grow our impact?
✨ Passionate about empowering voters and defending democracy?
If you answered "yes" to any of these, the LWVAA Membership Committee could be the perfect fit.
Whether you're a longtime member or looking for a new way to contribute, we'd love for you to help us launch this new team at LWVAA. No previous experience is required -- we just need your ideas, your enthusiasm, and your desire to make a difference. Flexible opportunities are available for a variety of schedules, both in person and remotely.
Interested? Contact Membership Director Joyce Jackson. |
City of Austin
Austin moves 8 charter amendment proposals for November election by Ben Thompson for Community Impact
"Several amendments to Austin's charter are set to be placed on the November ballot, capping off a process that was first launched by city leaders more than three years ago. Voters will also decide on a separate charter requirement, a citywide audit measure conceived by the political action committee Save Austin Now.
"The measures now heading toward a public vote this fall would:
- Clarify the responsibilities and membership of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, the resident board that redraws council district boundaries every 10 years, and ensure that college students are eligible to serve
- Delete an existing charter requirement for weekly City Council meetings; officials now typically meet biweekly and cancel other scheduled sessions for compliance
- Delete an existing charter requirement for City Council to set its meeting rules and procedures via ordinance
- Clarify that local campaign finance limits be set annually January 1, rather than through budget adoption in the summer
- Set all elections resulting from resident petition campaigns for the next November in an even-numbered year, rather than the next open election date
- Give City Council the power to appoint and remove the city attorney, currently appointed by the city manager
- Update the charter with various 'non-substantive' language changes"
Read the full article.
Austin leaders advance $5.2M contract for multiyear, citywide audit program by Ben Thompson for Community Impact
"Austin will pay more than $5 million for a multiyear independent audit of all city departments, advancing the recurring citywide assessment program created by City Council this year.
"The ongoing audit review will cover Austin's government, the programs and services it supports, and its third-party contracting. It'll include comparisons to peer cities, produce regular public reporting, and result in recommended improvements for city officials and department leaders."
Have fun & learn more!
Read The City's Budget: How to share your thoughts by City Budget by Amy Stansbury for The Austin Common
Speak up
💰 Stay informed. Attend a budget town hall meeting, attend a City of Austin board meeting or watch past City Council meetings.
📢 Speak up. Email City Council members. Share comments, questions, or suggestions on the City of Austin budget issues that are important to you and your community.
Bonds
🏞️ Read Without bond funding, park advocates warn Austin pools could close. Council votes Tuesday. by Sam Stark for The Austin Current. "Austin City Council will likely decide Tuesday whether to call a bond election as parks advocates warn more funding is needed to address aging facilities."
Water
💧 Read Austin wants more high-tech jobs to fuel growth. It also wants them to use less water. by Sam Stark for The Austin Current.
Public Education
📚 Read Paredes Middle School closes; students split to Bailey, Mendez by Jessica Mclaren for Community Impact.
Join the Advocacy Team: Contact Jazmin Cuellar, Advocacy Director | Demand justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo!
✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 When government actions result in the loss of life, the public deserves answers. Contact your elected officials today to urge them to support full transparency.
Convene a special session to address data center impacts
Call on Governor Abbott to convene a special session of the Texas Legislature to address the impacts of data center development, including consideration of a moratorium on new large-scale data center permitting until common-sense safeguards are in place.
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Take Action!
Tell Congress to reject strict voter ID Requirements. Americans do not need MORE obstacles to vote.
Tell Congress to oppose the SAVE Act suite of bills. 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.
| If you've read this far, it must be worth it.
Share the LWVAA Weekly VOTER with your friends!
|  | 🚨 BREAKING: **GUS SAID HE RESPECTS BOUNDARIES.**
New photos tell a different story.
After campaigning on respect and responsibility, Gus was photographed lounging on a kitchen countertop, prompting critics to accuse him of saying one thing and doing another. The campaign insists no boundaries were technically crossed.
Countertop today... cabinet tomorrow? Austin is asking questions. 👀🐱 |  | 🎾🚨 **BREAKING: DEFLATE-GATE**
New photos have opponents asking whether Franklin has been playing fetch with suspiciously squishy tennis balls to boost his stats.
The campaign denies any wrongdoing. Critics want an independent investigation. Ball experts are weighing in. Austin deserves answers.
Were the tennis balls deflated... or is this just another political hit job? 👀🐶 | | |
Watch the campaign controversies unfold on Instagram!
| | 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. | |