Austin Election Policy Digest

Texas Primary Election Day

• 🔥 Polls Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Central Texas voters can cast ballots today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at assigned...

Key insights from Rhonda Ward's interview:

• Motivation: As former GOP exec committee woman for the 18-county district (76% Trump in last election),...

Polls open 7am-7pm across Central Texas—Travis County allows countywide voting at sites like Austin City Hall and UT Texas Union; Williamson requires...

Texas leads with 212 new corporate headquarters since 2018, outpacing other red states as 561 total shift from blue states.

• No personal income tax...

• Statewide races underway: Live results for governor, Senate, and House primaries available today.
• TX-31 spotlight: Incumbent John Carter (84,...

Key shifts from Plan C2333 reshape Central Texas congressional seats:

• Impacts voters in Lampasas, Bell, Bosque, Hill, Freestone, Leon counties
  -...

Austin's housing crunch demands $115,618 income for a typical home—edging out the $109,475 median household income:

• Monthly payments eat 31.7% of...

Proactive move amid soaring costs: AISD and NRP Group broke ground Feb. 27 at former Anita Ferrales Coy site in East Austin.

• Scale: Phase 1...

Republican candidate Zeke Enriquez, a Marine vet, firefighter, and rancher, shares priorities for the 2026 TX-21 primary:

• Growth challenges: Rapid...

Vertical surge outpaces Texas peers, delivering 16,000 multifamily units under construction to ease housing pressure via mixed-use towers.

• Downtown...

Olivia Palmero’s leadership on Austin’s low-emission transit corridor drove a 65% ridership boost in two years, slashing carbon outputs by over 120,000 metric tons annually. Huge policy success for climate and transit!

• Deficit surges to $49M by year-end, up from $19M June projection
• Key revenue hit: Lower-than-expected proceeds from property sales
• Following 10...

Key insights from Mayor Kirk Watson's interview on scaling Austin:

• Attainable housing for teachers/first responders amid City Hall-builder...

• Mass shooting chaos: 3 killed, 14 injured early Sunday on West 6th St; FBI sees terrorism indicators, shooter (naturalized Senegalese citizen)...

• Propositions galore: GOP ballots have 10, Dems 13 non-binding polls on taxes, schools, housing, immigration, cannabis.
• Turnout blitz: Builders...

Central Texas connectivity surges with CARTS' new commuter routes linking Smithville, Bastrop, Georgetown, and Round Rock directly to Austin, starting...

• GOP race: Paxton leads Cornyn 32.1%-29.2% (+3 pts), Hunt at 19.8%; runoff likely May 26.
• Dem race: Crockett holds slim 42.7%-39.7% edge over...

Key Texas tax shifts signal uncertainty for businesses:

• Comptroller aligns franchise tax with current IRC from 2026 report year, mandating GILTI...

Intense Talarico-Crockett Senate primary fuels voter excitement in Texas:

• Packed rallies draw crowds: Talarico's Austin event blasts Texas anthem,...

Key steps for taxpayer accountability before potential bond:

• Unanimous approval of citywide efficiency audit by outside experts to track spending,...