Austin, TX

Your Austin voting guide for the November elections

Published

1 year ago

October 23, 2024

Your Austin voting guide for the November elections

Early voting for the Tuesday, Nov. 5 general election is underway in Austin, with a record-breaking number of folks showing up for the first day of early voting compared to previous years.

If you haven’t already cast your vote, prepare for the polls with our guide to election season in Austin.

Important dates

Early voting | Now-Friday, Nov. 1
Last day to apply for Ballot By Mail | Friday, Oct. 25
Election Day | Tuesday, Nov. 5

Registration + how to vote

Before you head to the polls, you’ll want to double-check your voter registration status, find your nearest early voting or Election Day voting location, and make sure you have the necessary materials with you.

You can cast your vote at a local polling site:

From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. now-Saturday, Oct. 26
From 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27
From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28-Wednesday, Oct. 30
From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (with some locations open until 10 p.m.) Thursday, Oct. 31-Friday, Nov. 1
From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5

What’s on the ballot?

Voters will cast their votes for federal offices including the president, senators, and US representatives, but several statewide and local seats will also be up for grabs. In Austin, the following positions have at least two people running for office:

Railroad Commissioner
Justice, Texas Supreme Court, Places 2, 4, and 6
Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Places 1, 7, and 8
Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals District, Place 2
District Attorney, 53rd Judicial District
City of Austin Mayor
Austin Community College, Trustee, Places 7 and 9
AISD At-Large Position 8

Check the sample ballot to see all of the candidates, including those running unopposed.

In addition to candidates, Travis County residents will vote for or against Proposition A, aka the Travis County CARES resolution. The proposition aims to generate ~$76 million in its first year and provide affordable child care for thousands of children in need. If approved, the proposition would be funded by a 2.5-cent property tax increase per $100 valuation, which equates to an additional ~$126 per year on the average homeowner’s bill.

Voters within the Austin Independent School District will also vote on Austin ISD Proposition A, which proposes a $0.9505-cent increase per $100 valuation for taxpayers. If passed, the school district would receive an additional $41 million annually, and ~$17.8 million would be used to increase teacher pay. Property taxes for the average homeowner in Austin ISD would increase by ~$34 per month.

You’ve voted… now what?

Several local businesses and restaurants want to celebrate your right to vote by allowing you to show your “I Voted” sticker in exchange for free goodies.

Home Slice Pizza | Bring your sticker to either of the pizzeria’s Austin locations for a free slice now through Election Day.
The Soup Peddler | Now through Election Day, your “I Voted” sticker will get you a free 8-ounce cup of soup.
Austin Beerworks | On Election Day, both of the brewery’s taprooms will give you a free beer if you show up with a sticker.
Kerbey Lane Cafe | Bring your sticker to a cafe on Election Day for a free pancake.
Mochinut ATX | Show your sticker at the register to receive a free donut now through Election Day.
Central Machine Works | Get a free beer between Wednesday, Oct. 30 and Election Day when you show your sticker.
Mañana Coffee | When you show your sticker at either location now through Election Day, you’ll receive a free 8-ounce drip coffee.

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Austin, TX

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Published

7 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts.

Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average.

Texas, though, is a different story.

For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal.

“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.”

It all depends on the weather

How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.

Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather.

If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.

How can you treat allergies in Austin?

If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them:

Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication.
Take a shower before going to bed.
Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen.

Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:

Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
Vacuum and sweep regularly.
Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Clean out the vents in your home.
Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air.
Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.

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Austin, TX

Texas Primary: Breakdown of Texas races

Published

19 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Democrats tried to stop a mid-decade redistricting effort, but were unsuccessful. Now, we are starting to see some of the candidates emerging in those newly drawn districts. FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski gives a full breakdown.

Posted March 3, 2026 10:32pm CST

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Austin, TX

Remembering Jorge Pederson: Minnesota MMA fighter killed in Austin, Texas, shooting

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Remembering Jorge Pederson: Minnesota MMA fighter killed in Austin, Texas, shooting

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – A shooting on West Sixth Street in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning, killed three people and injured more than a dozen others, according to the Austin Police Department. APD confirmed one of the victims was 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, a Minnesota man who worked as an MMA fighter for the Med City Fighting Championships.

“You meet tons of fighters and there are people that stand above the rest that you find you enjoy or find the most amusing,” MCFC Co-Owner Matthew Vogt said. “He was definitely one of them.”

According to Vogt, Pederson was also the owner of a Minnesota business called Metro Movers. Vogt said the MMA competitor touched everyone’s hearts since his first day of fighting professionally in Rochester.

“As soon as we met him when it was the weighing time, we just loved the guy already because he had a great mission or spirit about him,” Vogt said. “He was a funny guy and great fighter.”

Vogt told KTTC when he first saw the news that Pederson was killed, he could not believe what he saw.

“I was looking, like, ‘Wait a minute. Is this one of his shenanigans or did something actually happen there?’” Vogt said, recalling the moment he saw a social media post regarding the shooting in Austin. “I confirmed with a few people and I’m just like, sometimes, some things happen that you don’t even like, you don’t even know how to respond to it because it’s just so out of left field that you don’t immediately have a response to it.”

MCFC confirmed there is an online fundraiser dedicated to supporting Pederson’s family. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $10,000 has been raised.

“He was someone that always could make anybody laugh,” Vogt said. “Support his family through the fundraiser and take a look at his Instagram especially to see how funny he was.”

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