Travis County Voter Guide: What you need to know to vote on November 5th

Travis County has a full ballot in this election. Residents can have their say on several tax proposals that affect the cost of child care, local schools and City Council seats. Depending on where you live, you may also see multiple carve-out suggestions.

We're here to help you make a plan for voting and sort through the most important items on the list. You can find your sample ballot paper here the Travis County website.

(If you live in Williamson County, check out this guide. If you live in Hays County, check out this guide.)

What's on my ballot?

Travis County Proposal A

Travis County is asking voters to approve a 2.5 cent per $100 assessment tax rate increase to expand affordable child care options in the county. This is due to the cost of child care in Texas will be the highest in the state. If this measure passes, there will be a cost to taxpayers by increasing a Travis County homeowner's annual property tax bill by approximately $126. You can read more about Prop A from previous KUT reports.

Travis County District Attorney

Incumbent District Attorney Jose Garza, a Democrat, will face Republican defense attorney Daniel Betts. Garza achieved victory against Jeremy Sylestine in the March primary.

The Travis County District Attorney prosecutes major crimes and felonies.

Austin mayoral election

Five people are running to be the next mayor of Austin. They are:

• Kirk Watson, the incumbent
• Kathie Tovo, a former city council member
• Doug Greco, former director of Central Texas Interfaith
• Carmen Llanes Pulido, a community organizer from East Austin
• Jeffrey Bowen, owner of a small construction company and member of the Austin Neighborhood Association

KUT has a guide to where these candidates stand transport. You can also view a full forum with each candidate's vision. KUT verified their statements during the event on Housing.

Austin City Council seats

Seventeen candidates are running for City Council seats in Districts 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10. All candidates were invited to speak to KUT about their views on homelessness, transit and housing. You can watch their video responses.

Austin ISD and Manor ISD voter approval election for tax ratification

Austin ISD Proposition A

The Austin ISD school board is asking voters to approve a higher property tax rate for the school district to reduce its $119 million budget deficit and cover the cost of raises for about 6,500 employees. If voters approve the proposed increase of 9.1 cents per $100 of a property's taxable value, the average homeowner's property tax burden will increase by about $412 per year.

The new tax rate would provide Austin ISD with $171 million in new revenue. Of that, the district would keep $41 million, while the remaining $130 million would go to the state through recapture — a decades-old system in Texas that redistributes money from property-rich districts to districts with lower property values.

Manor ISD Proposal A

The Manor ISD school board is asking voters to approve a new tax rate that will bring $4.8 million in new revenue to the district. None of these funds can be reclaimed, meaning everything stays in the district. Manor ISD plans to use the school safety funds to reduce its nearly $21 million deficit and cover the cost of an additional 2% raise for employees. Trustees have already approved a 1% increase as part of the 2024-25 budget.

If Manor ISD voters approve Prop A, the tax rate will drop from $1.0861 per $100 of a property's taxable value to $1.0814. The average homeowner would see their Manor ISD property taxes reduced by approximately $10 per year.

You can view the ballot language for Austin ISD Proposition A and Manor ISD Proposition A on this sample Travis County ballot.

Austin ISD school board election

Four of the nine seats on the Austin ISD school board are up for election. The two incumbents seeking re-election are running unopposed. Ofelia Zapata, who represents District 2, and Noelita Lugo, an at-large trustee, are not seeking re-election. Trustee At-Large Position 8 is elected by all voters living within the boundaries of the Austin ISD.

Trustee District 2:

Trustee at large Position 8:

School board elections will also be held in Manor ISD, Del Valle ISD, Lago Vista ISD, Leander ISD and Round Rock ISD.

Sales tax reduction in Pflugerville

Pflugerville residents will vote on whether to remove a half-cent sales tax from Emergency Services District 2, also known as the Pflugerville Fire Department.

Opponents of the sales tax cut say it would cut the department's budget by 40%, leading to the layoffs of more than 80 firefighters, the closure of three fire stations and a doubling of response times.

Proponents say it would save taxpayer money that is currently wasted on a system that doesn't provide adequate emergency services.

More than 600,000 Travis County voters are expected to cast ballots in this election, and about 200,000 of those will be on Election Day. Local poll workers are encouraging voters to vote early to avoid long lines. Here's what you need to know before you go to the polls.

Am I registered as a voter?

You can check your voter registration in Travis County through the Texas Secretary of State's My Voter portal. The registration deadline for this election was October 7th.

When and where can I vote?

Early voting begins Monday, October 21st and continues through November 1st. You can find your early voting location on this list. Polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Thursday, October 31 and Friday, November 1, select polling locations will be open for early voting until 10 p.m

Travis County residents can vote at any polling location in the county.

Don't forget your ID

Every voter needs a photo ID. Here are the accepted forms of ID:

• Texas driver's license
• Texas voter ID card
• Texas ID card
• Texas handgun license
• US military ID card containing the person's photo
• US Certificate of Citizenship containing the person's photograph
• US passport

Voter ID cards should be current but can expire for up to four years. Voters age 70 and older can bring a photo ID that has long since expired.

If you don't have an updated ID, there are several alternatives:

• Government document showing your name and address, e.g. B. Your voter registration certificate
• current electricity bill
• Bank statement
• Government check
• Paycheck
• Notarized domestic birth certificate or court-admissible birth certificate

All these documents can be either a copy or the original. If you use one of these, you will be required to sign a form stating that you had a reasonable obstacle to obtaining an ID card.

What if I want to vote by postal vote?

The application deadline for postal voting ends on October 25th.

Registered voters in Texas can vote by mail if they:

• be away from their county on Election Day and during early voting;
• are sick or disabled;
• are 65 years of age or older on election day;
• are in prison but eligible to vote; or
• Expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.

You can print and fill out an application here in English And here in Spanish.

Use blue or black ink when filling out the application and ballot and ensure the county receives your ballot before Election day. You can also hand in your mail-in ballot in person at the district elections office. If you come in person, you will need to show ID.

You can track the status of your mail-in ballot using the Travis County Ballot Tracker.

The Austin-area League of Women Voters has put together a guide More tips for completing your application Postal voting and the entire process.