TX Votes' Civic Notes: November 4
Election day is November 7! Check out the rest of this newsletter for some tips on voting and a breakdown of some propositions!
Opportunities:
The Office of Texas State Representative Valoree Swanson is offering an unpaid internship for those interested in public policy. There is no set deadline, so you still have time to apply. Check here for more information.
Austin Pets Alive! is searching for someone to fill a spot for their Government Affairs and Public Policy Internship. Qualifications include the development of personal management skills and the ability to work at a minimum of 8 hours per week. If you have a ZipRecruiter account, you can apply here.
Semester Recap:
The semester is almost over, so we would like to give a summary of what TX Votes has done so far.
We have registered 1,023 voters.
We have had 4 general meetings so far, as well as a presentation about important ballot measures from Texas 2036. The meetings hosted many guests, including Maggie Stern from the Children’s Defense Fund, Katya Ehresman (a former TX Votes member) from Common Cause Texas, and Austin City Council Member Zo Qadri.
We gave dozens of classroom presentations and hosted tabling events to register voters (and encourage early voting). We tabled across campus in the PCL, the Life Sciences Library, at the West Mall, and on Speedway.
Even though the end of the semester is coming soon, we will make the most of our time left! Always make sure to check out our Instagram (as well as the newsletter) to keep up with our events.
Reminder to Vote:
What’s on the Ballot? 14 constitutional amendments! You can find great resources from the League of Women Voters and the Texas Legislative Council.
On Campus: Flawn Academic Center, LBJ School (both will be election day locations!)
Near Campus: Austin Recreation Center, Austin City Hall, Austin Energy Headquarters
Tips for Election Day!
by Libby McTaggart
Vote at the FAC or LBJ school on campus! They will be open from 7am-7pm.
Be informed! Check out the amendment guide @texasvotes_cea on Instagram. Other resources include Ballotpedia.com and Vote411.com
Stay in line! If the polls close and you have a spot in line, you will still get to vote
Keep a lookout for orgs near the FAC with freebies and goodies for voters!
Have a valid form of voter identification: A driver's license or passport works well. Your student ID will NOT work!
Try and vote early in the day or between classes. Polling locations lines will get longer as the day goes on!
Breaking Down Key Amendments.
by Brett Sestak
With the current constitutional amendment underway, it is important to share some propositions that will affect students. TX Votes hosted a “Ballot Breakdown” event in October to learn more about these important propositions.
Proposition 6 would create the Texas Water Fund endowed with one billion dollars. This fund would help support many water-related projects in the state, including repairing and fixing old pipes and finding new sources of water. A portion of this fund would be set aside specifically for rural areas, so students from smaller towns would still receive some funding. If passed, this fund would be created on January 1, 2024.
Proposition 8 would create the Broadband Infrastructure Fund with a sum of 1.5 billion dollars. With one in four people in Texas not having access to high-speed internet, this proposition would help more people have access to broadband. Additionally, the fund would also allocate a portion to enhance 911 services. If passed, this fund would be created on January 1, 2024.
Lastly, Proposition 14 would allocate one billion dollars to the creation of new parks. More land would be purchased in order to make room for these projects. Additionally, more funding would be granted for the upkeep of current parks and facilities in the state parks system. If passed, this funding would be available to the parks system starting on January 1, 2024.
Additionally, if you would like to check out more information related to Proposition 5 (which concerns the Texas University Fund), you can check out an article written on the previous newsletter here!
While these are the main propositions that would affect students, there are still 11 other amendments on the ballot. Local counties will also feature their own propositions, so be sure to look into your registered address’ propositions to be fully informed before you head out to vote!
Helpful Articles:
Austin releases survey to assess student housing needs
Texans may approve billions for energy, water, parks and broadband on Nov. 7
Fighting between legislative leaders imperils Texas border security bills
With time running out, House punts on taking action on school vouchers
Thank you for your interest in civic engagement. We hope you’ll take what you learn here and spread the word to your friends and family!
This newsletter was brought to you by TX Votes’ Digital Committee.