1. Election Day is Tuesday. As of last Thursday, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said 288,633 people participated in early voting within the county. Follow Community Impact Newspaper and its reporters on our website, on Facebook and on Twitter throughout the day Tuesday for the most up-to-date election coverage, including candidate profiles, Q&As, election results, reactions, watch party details and polling locations. 

2. The deadline for the 2016 Zilker Holiday Tree Art Contest is today at 5 p.m. Children between the ages of five and 10 years old can create and enter their original version of the Zilker Holiday Tree using crayons, watercolors, ink, colored paper, pastels or paint. The winners will help light the tree during the 50th annual tree-lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Nov. 27.

3. The Downtown Austin Alliance recently asked Austinites what they thought about downtown parking. On Wednesday, the DAA will release the findings from the survey in its first comprehensive downtown parking inventory workshop. The workshop, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at 800 Congress Ave., Austin, will include a summary of stakeholder feedback, including results from the recent parking survey, review findings of downtown parking capacity and demand; will highlight major issues and opportunities; showcase national best practices; present draft concepts to improve downtown parking; and allow participants to provide meaningful input.

4. The Hispanic Alliance and KMFA Classical 89.5 are looking for gently-used instruments, books and accessories related to music for their fourth annual citywide instrument drive, which launches Saturday and ends Nov. 19. Any donations will support Austin youth music programs and will be distributed to 10 area schools and nonprofits that serve youth throughout Central Texas. Donations will be accepted at four drop-off locations throughout Austin, including KMFA 89.5, Armstrong Community Music School, Eanes Independent School District and East Austin College Prep. Visit www.fallintomusic.org for more details.

5. Austin City Council voted Thursday to contract with a Dallas-area forensic lab to help address Austin's rape kit backlog. More than 700 sexual assault evidence cases remain pending since 2014, according to the Austin Police Department.