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(Capital Metro)
This November, Austin voters will choose whether to raise their property tax rate to pay for a proposed $7.1 billion transit overhaul called Project Connect. It includes expanded bus service, including an Eastside transit center.
Austin voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to increase their tax rate to pay for a $7.1 billion, 15-year overhaul of the city's transit system.
<p>If approved, Project Connect will expand Austin's rapid bus line system, add two new light rail lines—from North to South Austin and to the airport—and lead to the construction of <a href="https://austonia.com/underground-rail-tunnel-in-austin" target="_self">a multi-block underground tunnel downtown</a>.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">A New Transit Plan for Austin | Project Connect by Capital Metro</small>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/M1fP7IJVW8I" target="_blank">youtu.be</a>
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</p><p>Austin City Council voted unanimously last month to <a href="https://austonia.com/transportation-austin-project-connect?share_id=5699284" target="_self">add the measure to the upcoming ballot</a>. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the council scaled down an earlier version that would have cost $10 billion. </p><p>The new figure of $7.1 billion would come from two sources. The larger amount would come from a hike in property taxes. Additionally, Capital Metro, the city's transit agency, says it will ask the federal government for a grant of $3.25 billion. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="82ef205855621198c971b603aa27fa34" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="2fdab" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQyNDAzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTcyMjMxOX0.XK13E7gymIPqN_lbrLYJHSPbTSKaEu9CDgzp-hmeWOs/img.jpg?width=980"/>
</p><p><strong>A step forward?</strong><br/></p><p>Transit for Austin—a coalition of community organizations and elected officials that includes all 11 members of City Council, has voiced support for the project.</p><p>The group argues that a city of Austin's size—<a href="https://data.austintexas.gov/stories/s/Imagine-Austin-Population-and-Jobs-Forecast/j5a7-yk8d/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">and continual growth</a>—is long overdue for a comprehensive transit system.</p><p>Building one through Project Connect, its members say, will make the city greener by reducing reliance on personal vehicles, more equitable by allocating $300 million to help prevent displacement and safer by getting people out of cars.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f9d7618456f5e4b5bf315c54ac631900" id="5129a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1306369522824290308"><div style="margin:1em 0">Can Project Connect Promote Equitable Access and Mobility Justice?
Only an active, informed, and engaged… https://t.co/UqbeJ83nXq</div> — Austin Justice Coalition (@Austin Justice Coalition)<a href="https://twitter.com/AtxJustice/statuses/1306369522824290308">1600297740.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Austin Mayor Steve Adler has been a vocal proponent of Project Connect for these reasons—and more.</p><p>"I think people want us to do this project because they want something done about traffic, they want something done about the environment; they want something to stop the fatalities and to actually address mobility equity for essential workers," he told Austonia.</p><p>In Adler's view, the broad scope of Project Connect is essential to its appeal.</p><p>"I don't think people want us to be nibbling around the edges and spending money on things that aren't actually going to be transformative," he said. "When something's big, obviously it's going to take time for it to be completed. But the public will start seeing this being handled immediately."</p><p>If voters approve the tax rate increase, Adler said they can expect to see the city purchase land for affordable housing along the proposed light rail lines and make updates to the bus rapid transit system in the short term.</p><p>For Austinites who don't plan to use transit now or in the future, Project Connect may still offer a tangible benefit.</p><p>"Even if I'm driving on the road and not trying to get on transit, I want everybody else to get off the road and get into transit," Adler said. "But in order for that to happen, people actually have to have choices that are good."</p><p>In July, a political action committee called Mobility for All <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=344030" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">filed paperwork</a> signaling its intent to raise money in support of the tax rate increase, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition A.</p><p>While it has not yet filed a campaign finance report, the group lists its top donors on its website, including infrastructure design firm HNTB, Major League Soccer club Austin FC and Silicon Labs chairperson Nav Sooch.</p><p><strong>A step back?</strong> </p><p>But there is also vocal opposition to the project, spearheaded by two groups: the Our Mobility Our Future PAC and advocacy group Voices of Austin.</p><p>Both argue that Project Connect is too expensive—the median homeowner will see a $317 increase to her tax bill this year, if it is approved—and that the city is overpromising to voters what it can realistically achieve.</p><p>Robert Falk, an analyst with OMOF and volunteer with the Travis County Taxpayers Union, said it is "insensitive and out of touch" for the city to ask voters to approve "the greatest debt and tax increase in Austin's history" given the pandemic and uncertainty of the future.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="af393ccc22c987241cb15c47613eed5f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="53742" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQyNDAzMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwODI1NDAxNX0.nb0v-ghFTvFrDH888zebR8qftVxIxSaWCSSzbrib5ZA/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Sources: Austin Community College, Austin ISD, Central Health, city of Austin and Travis County.</small></p><p>The PAC also argues that Project Connect lacks the necessary engineering and federal funding commitment to ensure it adheres to the proposed budget, which could leave local taxpayers footing the bill.</p><p>"We're building our whole house on this sand foundation of this federal money," Falk said.</p><p>Some Austinites are invested in preventing Project Connect from being approved.</p><p>OMOF has raised nearly $100,000, <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=343270" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">according to its July 15 campaign finance report</a>, with the majority coming from four donors: real estate investor John Lewis, Mercedes-Benz dealer Bryan Hardeman, Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty and Aminex Therapeutics chairperson Jim Skaggs.</p><p>The group feels it needs to counterbalance the city's slick marketing and "propagandizing" of Project Connect using taxpayer dollars.</p><p>"Prop A reads like a sales brochure," Falk said.</p><p>Voices of Austin, which formed this summer to represent Austinites who feel their views are unheard at City Hall, similarly believes that the city is not being transparent about the full cost of the plan.</p><p>"In these dire economic times we do not need Project Con, especially using illegal and misleading ballot language," Executive Director Peck Young said <a href="https://voicesofaustin.org/voices-of-austin-asks-whether-project-connect-is-really-project-con/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in a statement</a>.</p><p>Falk describes Project Connect as 20th-century technology that will only benefit those who live along the fixed-route system. As an alternative, OMOF supports investing in emerging technologies such as micromobility—like scooters—and the promise of <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/23/21233085/v2x-vehicle-to-everything-fcc-safety-spectrum-airwaves-wifi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vehicle-to-everything, or V2X technology</a>, and autonomous vehicle fleets.</p><p>"The future of transit is distributed, on-demand, doorstep-to-destination convenience," he said.</p><p>Unlike a light rail system, which requires riders to come to it, these new technologies meet users where they are.</p><p>"Why would we go all in on a system that will be obsolete before it's complete?" Falk asked.</p><p><strong>The next step</strong></p><p>After more than <a href="https://communityimpact.com/northwest-austin/transportation/2018/10/26/what-is-project-connect/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">seven years of development</a>, Project Connect now faces voters, who will ultimately decide whether the plan becomes reality.</p><p>Despite the pandemic, turnout is <a href="https://austonia.com/city/5-lessons-learned-election" target="_self">projected to break records</a>, and Adler is hopeful that voters make it down to the proposition portion of their ballots.</p><p>"There's probably no perfect time to hold an election," he said.</p><p><br/></p><p><strong>More on Project Connect:</strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/underground-rail-tunnel-in-austin" target="_self">Dramatic downtown Austin drone flight reveals scope of Project Connect's massive underground rail tunnel</a></h2>
Project Connect massive underground rail tunnel
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1b92a6069738020cade05c1c163212cb"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OLZM_FXO8Bw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>The downtown transit tunnel would separate the light rail lines proposed under Project Connect—Capital Metro's 20-year, $7.1 billion overhaul of the city's t...From Your Site Articles
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(Charlie L. Harper III)
Half of Austin City Council seats is up for election this Novemeber.
In less than two months, Austin voters will choose between 20 candidates vying for five of City Council's 10 seats. A series of upcoming candidates forums will introduce voters to the candidates and their platforms.
<p>Elected council members will be tasked with rewriting the <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-land-use-code-rewrite" target="_blank">city's land use code</a>, considering <a href="https://austonia.com/gov-abbott-defunding-pledge" target="_self"><u>further cuts to the Austin Police Department's budget</u></a> and, if voters approve a tax rate increase, implementing <a href="https://austonia.com/underground-rail-tunnel-in-austin" target="_self"><u>the $7.1 billion Project Connect transit plan</u></a>.</p><p>The Austin Chamber, Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Austin Young Chamber, Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce and Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will co-host two such virtual events next week, which will be posted on YouTube. </p><p>On Monday, Sept. 14, from 3-5 p.m., the chambers will speak with candidates for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/639696743329136/?active_tab=about" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Districts 2 and 4</u></a>, which are in Southeast and Northeast Austin, respectively. </p><p>District 2 Council Member Delia Garza will vacate her seat to serve as Travis County attorney. Four candidates are running to replace her: David Chincanchan, Vanessa Fuentes, Casey Ramos and Alex Strenger. </p><p>District 4 Council Member Greg Casar is running for re-election against Louis C. Herrin III and Ramesses II Setepenre. </p><p>On Friday, Sept. 18, from 3-5 p.m., the chambers will speak with candidates for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/805026173602903?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A5%2C%22action_history%22%3A%5B%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22main_list%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%5C%22%5B%5D%5C%22%22%7D%5D%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>District 6, 7 and 10</u></a>, all of which are in North or Northwest Austin. </p><p>District 6 Council Member Jimmy Flannigan is facing off against Deedra Harrison, Mackenzie Kelly and Jennifer Musthaler. </p><p>District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool has only one opponent, Morgan Witt.</p><p>District 10 Council Member Alison Alter faces the most crowded field, with six candidates running against her: Ben Easton, Belina Greene, Pooja Sethi, Robert Tomas and Jennifer Virden. </p><p>The city of Austin is also sponsoring virtual candidate forums, co-hosted by its ethics review commission and the local League of Women Voters chapter. These will begin at 6 p.m. on the following dates:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>District 2: Wednesday, Sept. 16</li><li>District 4: Wednesday, Sept. 23</li><li>District 10: Tuesday, Sept. 29</li><li>District 6: Wednesday, Sept. 30</li><li>District 7: Wednesday, Oct. 7</li></ul><p>Viewers can tune in on <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live" target="_blank">ATXN</a>, where the forums will air in English and Spanish; cable TV channel 6 and AT&T U-Verse channel 99; and KAZI FM 88.7. More details can be found <a href="https://www.austintexas.gov/CandidateForums" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p><p>City council seats are nonpartisan, although all current members are affiliated with the Democratic Party. Austin residents can plug in their address to find their council district <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-city-council-seats-up-for-election" target="_self"><u>here</u></a>.</p>
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Several boats sank during a parade in support of President Donald Trump on Lake Travis in Austin on Saturday.
Several boats sank on Lake Travis Saturday while taking part in a parade in support of President Donald Trump, according to the Travis County Sheriff's Office.
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c3c41b02e46464c9bff175dca4aad3b1" id="8e3c5"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1302332909693566978"><div style="margin:1em 0">TCSO responded to multiple calls involving boats in distress during the Trump parade on Lake Travis. Several boats did sink.</div> — Travis County SO (@Travis County SO)<a href="https://twitter.com/TravisCoSheriff/statuses/1302332909693566978">1599335336.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>No fatalities or injuries have been reported, and the office does not suspect foul play, <a href="https://apnews.com/f2f01300037f1fdfe888e5a190576671?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP" target="_blank">according to a report by the Associated Press</a>. <br/></p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7ee2f8aeeca34d8782e5a07a80b7c0c5" id="166fb"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1302335792984068097"><div style="margin:1em 0">MEDIA: #ATCEMS has not been involved in any of the boat sinking incidents on Lake Travis today. No injuries or medi… https://t.co/stizsiRRHi</div> — ATCEMS (@ATCEMS)<a href="https://twitter.com/ATCEMS/statuses/1302335792984068097">1599336023.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The event was scheduled for midday on Saturday and included parachute jumpers, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/3308504859200726/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A%5B%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22search_results%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22search%22%7D%5D%7D" target="_blank">according to a Facebook event page</a>. More than 8,600 people registered as interested. </p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="aaf2486acac43a286f9de8f54ab76369" id="b93cc"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1302319353766043648"><div style="margin:1em 0">INBOX: Trump Pence Boat Parade in the liberal city of Austin Texas! Boats for as far as the eye can see. Military v… https://t.co/tVSeME567Q</div> — Abigail Marone (@Abigail Marone)<a href="https://twitter.com/abigailmarone/statuses/1302319353766043648">1599332104.0</a></blockquote></div>
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H-E-B owner Charles Butt sends letter to Texas Supreme Court in support of mail-in voting
03 September
(Sam Noble)
H-E-B owner Charles Butt sent a letter to the Texas Supreme Court this week in support of mail-in voting, in which he noted the changes his company has made to help customers feel safer during the pandemic.
Charles Butt, the billionaire owner of the H-E-B grocery chain, has sent a letter to the Texas Supreme Court supporting mail-in voting and urging state and federal courts to be nonpartisan, a condition he said "today seems to be in jeopardy."
<p>"It's always been my impression that the more people who vote, the stronger our democracy will be," Butt wrote.</p><p>The letter, which was sent Wednesday and circulated publicly today, came on the heels of an action by the Supreme Court to temporarily block Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins's effort to send mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters in his jurisdiction, which includes the city of Houston.</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3089cba11737812750140e835da861bb" id="3ce1e"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1301326467582877697"><div style="margin:1em 0">Oh wow: In a letter to the Texas Supreme Court, the head of @HEB Charles Butt appears to side with Harris County Cl… https://t.co/jY5U97Ggml</div> — Scott Braddock (@Scott Braddock)<a href="https://twitter.com/scottbraddock/statuses/1301326467582877697">1599095382.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The high court's ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by the Harris County Republican Party. The court's ruling followed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's filing of a lawsuit<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/08/31/texas-harris-county-mail-in-ballot/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> <u>last week</u></a> in an attempt to halt the mailing out of mail-in ballot applications. Paxton is an elected Republican. </p><p>"My knowledge of the judicial world is not deep, but it seems to me that it is important for both state and federal courts to retain their nonpartisan reputation, which today seems to be in jeopardy," Butt wrote. </p><p>San Antonio-based H-E-B serves communities across Texas and through Mexico. The family-owned chain has more than 340 stories—including about 50 in Austin and the surrounding area. It employs more than 100,000 people and has annual sales exceeding $20 billion. </p><p>Unlike<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/11/us/politics/vote-by-mail-us-states.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> <u>most states</u></a>, Texas restricts mail-in voting eligibility to those who are over 65, have a disability, are out of town during an election or in jail. While the state requires voters to cite one of these excuses when applying for a mail-in ballot, the Texas Supreme Court recently ruled that election officials may not require proof of eligibility. </p><p>As the Nov. 3 general election approaches, a<a href="https://austonia.com/july-election-texas/in-person-voting" target="_self"> <u>flurry of recent lawsuits</u></a>—led by the state Democratic Party and voting rights organizations—has attempted to expand mail-in voting eligibility. Thus far, judges have ruled that under current state law fear alone of contracting the coronavirus does not make someone eligible for mail-in voting. </p><p>State GOP leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, oppose expanding eligibility, which they say will lead to voter fraud. Democrats argue that failing to let people vote by mail is tantamount to voter suppression. </p><p>In his letter, Butt, who is H-E-B's chairman and chief executive officer, mentioned the changes H-E-B has made to help customers feel safe while shopping during the pandemic, such as expanding curbside pick-up and home-delivery options. </p><p>"Based on our experience at H-E-B, many people, including those of all ages, are nervous about contracting the virus," he wrote. "By extension, in my opinion, many would be anxious about voting in person. Clerk Hollins has reasonably given these voters a chance to guard against perilous exposure in a manner consistent with this Court's opinion and the Election Code." </p><p><strong>On the ground in Austin</strong> </p><p>Travis County has not gone to the extent of the Harris County clerk's action in sending mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters.</p><p>Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said she has considered sending mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters over 65 but decided against doing so because political parties already do so. </p><p>"We chose to spend our money a little more wisely," she told Austonia. </p><p>But the county clerk's office has already received a record-breaking number of mail-in ballot applications for the Nov. 3 election, the vast majority—around 85%—of whom are 65 years or older. </p><p>As of Thursday afternoon, 52,000 voters had applied for a mail-in ballot, and DeBeauvoir anticipates as many as 100,000 voters will do so by the Oct. 23 deadline. In the 2016 general election, her office only sent out 27,000 mail-in ballots to approved applicants.</p><p>"It is most definitely COVID," she said of the increase. "People are afraid to come inside." </p><p>Given the turmoil<a href="https://austonia.com/vote-by-mail-challenges" target="_self"><u> at the U.S. Postal Service</u></a>, DeBeauvoir recommends eligible voters who wish to vote by mail submit their applications as soon as they can.</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b4366b8978e3945f30ceb531e9dbd6aa" id="83fa8"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1301242680861745161"><div style="margin:1em 0">Our office is receiving a high volume of ballot by mail applications and recommend sending in your application ASAP… https://t.co/ysq0BpcDPT</div> — Travis County Clerk (@Travis County Clerk)<a href="https://twitter.com/TravisCoClerk/statuses/1301242680861745161">1599075405.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"We've seen turnaround times from three days [and] I've seen it be 10 days," she said. "It's not consistent." </p>
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(U.S. Senate, MJ for Texas)
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will face off against Round Rock mom and combat veteran MJ Hegar this Nov. 3.
When decorated combat veteran, Round Rock mom and self-described "badass" MJ Hegar and three-term Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn face off this November, the candidates will not only contend with each other but also the pandemic, President Donald Trump's reelection campaign and a news cycle that threatens to overshadow their race.
<p>Hegar, whose only political experience is a failed run against U.S. Rep. John Carter in 2018, narrowly won the Democratic nomination for the Texas Senate seat in a runoff election against state Sen. Royce West in July. </p><p>This cost her campaign time and money. It now has around $1 million, <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Sen-John-Cornyn-has-won-over-minority-voters-15484786.php" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"><u>compared to Cornyn's $14 million</u></a>, and just a few months to get Hegar in front of voters—virtually—until the election. </p><p>Cornyn's campaign is confident, based on statements to the press, about his chances against "Hollywood Hegar," whom he has described as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRIHwOkThhg&feature=youtu.be" rel="dofollow" target="_blank">Elizabeth Warren on a motorcycle</a>.</p><p>"She has less than four months to introduce herself to voters outside the Austin media market who've never heard of her," his campaign wrote in a July 15 press release. </p><p>Austonia reached out to Cornyn's senate and campaign offices multiple times for comment but did not receive a response. </p><p>Recent polls show Cornyn leading by one to 15 points, but Democrats believe the Senate race is winnable for many reasons: High turnout among Democratic voters in the July runoff election, Trump's <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/317477/trump-job-approval-below-seven-key-issues.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"><u>flagging approval rating</u></a> and a <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/08/04/DSCC-MJ-Hegar-John-Cornyn/" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"><u>$1 million investment</u></a> by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. </p><p>MJ for Texas Deputy Communications Director Jake Lewis also pointed to <a href="https://poll.qu.edu/texas/release-detail?ReleaseID=3662" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"><u>a June poll</u></a> in which more than a quarter of Texas voters were unable to answer whether they approve or disapprove of Cornyn. </p><p>"For a senior senator who's been in office for almost 20 years in the Senate, plus before that in Texas state government, his unknown numbers are really showing how failed of a leader he is," Lewis said. </p><p>Jim Henson, a professor of government and director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, said Cornyn is considered the favorite in this race—but it's not a lock. "Certainly, this is shaping up to be a tough year for Republicans in Texas," he told Austonia.</p><p><br/></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img alt="John Cornyn vs. MJ Hegar funding" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="abeed071b66cdda12352037e0cc6ba41" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="6afb5" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU2NDYxNi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzI1NTAxMn0.fP_rZE_OFQtrCpeRUzyo6EqjbYwwHVq-mDVdaR6scNg/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Sources: Federal Election Commission, Vote Smart)</small></p><p><br/></p><p><strong>The pandemic</strong></p><p>Whoever wins this race will be responsible for helping usher Texas and the country out of the COVID-19 crisis. </p><p>For Henson, it's unclear how this will affect turnout. "You're kind of balancing two things," he said. "Will it drive down turnout, or will it also increase … people's interest in voting because they think the stakes are very high?"</p><p>Texas Democrats were heartened to see wide participation in the July primary runoff election—<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/15/texas-democrats-primary-runoff-turnout/" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"><u>more than double the amount of voters who turned out in 2018</u></a>—despite the pandemic. </p><p>"We look at that and see a level of enthusiasm and willingness to participate on the Democratic side that we haven't seen in Texas in literally decades," Texas Democrats Cornyn War Room spokesperson Billy Begala told Austonia. "We fully expected turnout to be suppressed." </p><p>Hegar's camp also believes her experience working as a program manager for Seton Healthcare Family, as well as her support for the Affordable Care Act, will resonate with voters. </p><p>"Every sector of the economy, every Texas is being affected by this pandemic," Lewis said. "But that is also making people more aware of the choice they have come November: Who is going to lead getting out of this mess?" </p><p>Cornyn's pandemic-response strategy is unclear. Last month, he was criticized for questioning <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/07/10/texas-sen-john-cornyn-criticized-for-questioning-whether-children-can-catch-and-spread-covid-19/" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"><u>whether children could catch and spread COVID-19</u></a>. And on July 25, a weekly $600 unemployment benefit expired in Texas, leaving more than 1.6 million jobless residents in need of relief. While a spokesperson for Cornyn's office <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/23/texas-unemployment-cares-act-600-benefit-congress-feud/" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank"><u>told the Texas Tribune</u></a> that the senator supports extending unemployment assistance, the Senate recessed last week until mid-September without voting to approve a new relief package.</p><p><br/></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img alt="John Cornyn vs. MJ Hegar issues " class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="feb7085c2795830849895d8bd2900f45" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="a1fa5" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU2NDYxOC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMTgzNzQzNH0.Pdc2DFMINXL0rrJhCalMcIF5B3qPuyfKACa1wBtE5Tg/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Sources: John Cornyn for Senate, MJ for Texas, U.S. Senate)</small></p><p><br/></p><p><strong>The president</strong> </p><p>Despite the pandemic and other critical policy issues, Henson said the November election will, "above all," be about Trump.</p><p>Republicans believe that the re-election effort will bolster candidates such as Cornyn. </p><p>"Beto O'Rourke lost in 2018. MJ Hegar will lose in 2020," RNC Regional Communications Director Samantha Cotten said in a statement to Austonia. "Democrats' dream of turning Texas blue will be shattered once again and it is little wonder as to why considering Democrats are actively campaigning on destroying the Second Amendment, the energy industry, and our cities by defunding our police." </p><p>But others see Cornyn's association with the president as a stress point. </p><p>"The president has had, in strictly political terms, a not particularly good year and is an erratic standard bearer," Henson said. "So if you are a Republican candidate in Texas, and your fate is hitched to the president's, it's a very anxiety-ridden ride." </p><p>Hegar also stands to benefit from the ground gained by Beto O'Rourke in his race against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. Although O'Rourke lost, the margin was much smaller than past races would have suggested, Henson said, and Democrats won other seats in the Texas Legislature and U.S. House. Since then, Democrats have also seen higher rates of voter registration than Republicans. </p><p>This is all evidence to support the notion that this race is competitive, Henson said, but Hegar still faces an uphill climb. </p><p>"There's a lot of other information in this political environment that it makes it hard for her to get her name and any messages she might have out," he said.</p>
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(Austonia)
The Travis County Democratic Party chose local attorney Andy Brown as their nominee for county judge.
Two local attorneys—Democrat Andy Brown and Republican Michael Lovins—have been selected by their respective political parties to compete for the position of Travis County judge this November.
<p>Brown and Lovins will race to replace Sarah Eckhardt, who resigned as county judge in March, less than two years into her second term, to run for the seat vacated by State Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin). Because there was no primary election date scheduled between Eckhardt's resignation and the Nov. 3 general election, the local political parties—and not registered voters—determined the nominees.</p><p>The Travis County Democratic Party's 136 precinct chairs voted on Sunday, with nearly 56% voting in favor of Brown. The other two candidates were Travis County Precinct 1 Commissioner Jeff Travillion and former Travis County Democratic Party Chair Dyana Limon-Mercado.<br/></p><p>The Travis County GOP's executive committee voted last week to allow its chairman, Matt Mackowiak, to appoint a nominee, and they announced Lovins' candidacy on Monday.</p><p>The county judge serves as chief executive of the county and oversees the Commissioners Court. The office functions similarly to that of <a href="https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Why-is-a-county-chief-executive-called-a-judge-1805377.php" target="_blank"><u>a city's mayor</u></a>.</p><p>Former Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe has been serving in the role in an interim capacity.</p><p><strong>The candidates</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c9ed762158399094010b07058d89b1b6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="c2ec8" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU2MjYwNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDc2MzUyNX0.5pWBnKmeBFfg5zBvFRFD77NDm37y8nm6YED_kdGfSIg/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Andy Brown is the Democratic nominee for Travis County judge.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Andy Brown)</small></p><p>Brown is the founder of law firm Andy Brown & Associates and previously served as a senior adviser to Beto O'Rourke and campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett.<br/></p><p>In a statement issued after the vote, Travis County Democratic Party Chair Katie Naranjo said, "Our next County Judge will have huge shoes to fill after the departure of now-Senator Eckhardt—Andy's broad experience as an accomplished attorney and his tireless dedication to Democratic values leaves me confident they will serve our county well."</p><p>Brown ran against Eckhardt for the position of county judge in 2014; Eckhardt won nearly 63% of the vote that year and was reelected in an uncontested race in 2018.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="69aab8de2d681e7eacc335578f4b1558" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="be473" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU2MjYwOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNDU2NTEwOH0.z9C9_CfCk4RiReWrTD6-DUDmfDlMgqHOUk7xnNJWPvw/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Michael Lovins is the Republican nominee for Travis County judge.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Travis County GOP)</small></p><p>Lovins is a founding partner of the personal injury law firm Lovins Trosclair and a member of the Federalist Society, a highly influencial national organization of conservative and libertarian lawyers.<br/></p><p>In a statement shared by the Travis County GOP, Lovins said his day-one priority, if elected, will be to propose "a budget that fully funds our county sheriff's office and expands county law enforcement patrols within the city of Austin." </p>
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After voter registration flatlined in April, the county revamped its texting program to change that
12 August
(Pexels)
Travis County's Text2Register program allows residents to register to vote from the safety of their own home.
When the tax office began its voter registration push in January, it was prepared for high registration numbers, given that it is a presidential election year.
But then registration flatlined in Travis County for the first time in decades.
<p>Typically, the tax office expects an increase of up to 2,000 registered voters a month leading up to a presidential election. The office saw a net change of zero in April, Elfant said, and only a few hundred May. </p><p>"We were stopped in our tracks by COVID-19," Voter Registrar and Tax-Assessor Collector Bruce Elfant said Wednesday. </p><p>Although application numbers increased leading up to the July primary election, only 56,255 people registered to vote in Travis County between January and July, compared to nearly 90,000 over the same period in 2016.</p><p><strong>A new program</strong> </p><p>In response, the Travis County Tax Office launched a revamped version of its discontinued Text2Register program, which it hopes will help encourage more people to register to vote. </p><p>Texas is one of 10 states that does not allow online voter registration. Residents may request an application online through the Texas Secretary of State but must fill it in by hand and return it by mail. They may also register to vote in person.</p><p>The Text2Register program streamlines the remote process by allowing applicants to use their phones and fill out their form in advance, so the application that arrives only needs a date and signature.</p><p>County officials said the program removes a major barrier to voter registration for two reasons: 1) It makes the process easier for the voter and 2) it makes the process easier for the voter registrar.</p><p>Text2Register initially allowed applicants to request an application, print it out, fill out the form manually and find an envelope and stamp to return it. The program was discontinued in 2016 after one year because more than 75% of users did not return the form by mail, Elfant said.</p><p>The new Text2Register program aims to circumvent this issue by mailing the pre-filled form, along with a return envelope, reducing the number of steps needed.</p><p>Since it launched, about 300 people have used it to apply, Elfant told Austonia on Friday. </p><p><strong>The process</strong></p><p>By texting "Register" to 48683 (IVOTE), Travis County residents are prompted to fill out a voter registration form, which the tax office will then mail to them to sign, date and send back to the tax office for review.</p><p>The Text2Register program may also help prevent hard-to-read handwriting or discrepancies that lead to failed applications.</p><p>"The beauty of this is when the application is received in our office, we already have the data in our system," said Gretchen Nagy, director of voter registration for the county. "We don't have to enter it manually."</p><p>During the program's initial run, among those who completed the registration process, more than 80% turned out to vote, Elfant said.</p><p><strong>A wider effort</strong></p><p>In addition to the Text2Register program, the tax office also moved its volunteer deputy-registrar training online and has made application forms available at libraries and on bookmobiles.</p><p>Another concern this year is post office delays.</p><p>Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Republican donor whom President Donald Trump appointed in May, launched a reorganization of the U.S. Postal Service in July, which <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-postoffice/u-s-postal-service-reorganization-sparks-delays-election-questions-idUSKCN258197" target="_blank">union officials say</a> is the cause of delays.</p><p>Elfant cautioned that Travis County voters should not wait until the Oct. 5 deadline to mail in their applications, as many invariably do.</p><p>"In any year, we do the admonition about mailing [voter registration applications] early," Elfant said. "This year especially … you don't want to be mailing it anywhere near the deadline."</p><p><em>Clarification: This story has been updated to report that the program, which is run through Travis County, can also be used in other counties and states through a partnership with a larger text-based program. Also, the tax office saw a net change of zero registered voters in April. </em></p><p><em><br/></em></p><p><br/></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3e50a613e00da9e759b5d522ead49cf4" id="b65d5"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1293592800227926018"><div style="margin:1em 0">Pls RT. News-Travis County offering contactless voter registration. Thanks to partnership with @GoRegister2Vote our… https://t.co/r6iHw7QTNj</div> — Travis County Tax (@Travis County Tax)<a href="https://twitter.com/TravisCountyTax/statuses/1293592800227926018">1597251532.0</a></blockquote></div>
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