Early voting for the May 7 election begins April 25 and runs through May 3. The following voter guide includes information about what is on the ballot and where to vote.
SAMPLE BALLOT
City of Austin proposition
Austin voters will decide on one ballot measure, Proposition A, in the city’s May 7 election.
The proposition is based on the “Austin Freedom Act of 2021” drafted by voter engagement group Ground Game Texas. The organization successfully petitioned for the item to be considered by the city last year, and City Council members decided in January to put the proposal before voters rather than pass it outright themselves.
Ballot language reads as follows: “Shall an initiative ordinance be approved to (1) eliminate enforcement of low-level marijuana offenses and (2) ban the use of 'no knock' warrants by Austin police?”
If voters approve the proposition, misdemeanor marijuana enforcement would be ended under city code. Police would be required to announce their presence and wait at least 15 seconds before executing a search warrant.
Austin Police Department officers would no longer be allowed to cite or arrest people for marijuana or drug paraphernalia possession in most cases, and they would not be able to use city resources for THC testing. Police could still seize suspected marijuana, but they would not be able to charge most suspects for a marijuana offense. Exceptions could be made in relation to violent felonies or high-priority felony narcotics cases.
APD officers would also be banned from requesting or participating in “no-knock” search warrants, or warrants carried out without advance warning, and could be disciplined for violations.
If the proposition fails, city code related to misdemeanor marijuana enforcement would not change. No-knock warrants would remain an option for Austin police in limited situations.
Based on previous City Council direction, APD’s general orders covering marijuana enforcement already reflect the proposed code update. Officers are currently instructed against arrests or citations for marijuana possession unless in connection to a felony.
Currently, no-knock search warrants are only allowed in situations when officer safety is deemed a concern. No-knock warrants must be approved by a commanding officer and judge, and logged in an APD database within three days after a warrant is served.
Pflugerville ISD elections
Northwest Austin residents zoned for Pflugerville ISD will be able to vote in three board of trustees elections. Each of the incumbents up for election drew one challenger.
For Place 3, incumbent Renae Mitchell is running against challenger Pat McCord. Read Q&As with the Place 3 candidates here.
Place 4 incumbent Vernagene Mott is facing challenger Corbin Black. Q&As with Place 4 candidates can be found here.
In the Place 5 race, incumbent Brian Allen is running against challenger Alissa Molina. Find Q&As with Place 5 candidates here.
Statewide propositions
All voters in Texas can also cast ballots for or against two property tax propositions.
Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project for The University of Texas, said both constitutional amendments received bipartisan support from legislators in 2021. He believes they are both likely to pass to provide homeowners property tax relief, but they would place more of the public education funding burden on the state.
Although property taxes are already frozen for the disabled and those age 65 and older, Proposition 1 would allow the legislature to provide additional tax relief from school districts for these homeowners.
Ballot language for Proposition 1 reads: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the reduction of the amount of a limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for general elementary and secondary public school purposes on the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled to reflect any statutory reduction from the preceding tax year in the maximum compressed rate of the maintenance and operations taxes imposed for those purposes on the homestead.”
Currently, every Texas homeowner is offered a $25,000 exemption on property taxes from public school districts—meaning the first $25,000 of a home’s appraised property value does not count against a homeowner’s annual property taxes. If Proposition 2 is approved, that exemption would be increased to $40,000.
Ballot language for Proposition 2 reads: “The constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $25,000 to $40,000.”
WHERE TO VOTE
Voters in Travis County may vote at any voting center throughout the county. Likewise, Williamson County registered voters are able to vote at any polling location in their county.
The following map shows early voting locations in Northwest Austin.
Early voting in Travis County runs from April 25-May 3. Polling locations are open Mon.-Sat. From 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from noon-6 p.m.
In Williamson County, early voting is available April 25-30 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and May 2-3 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. There is no voting on Sunday.
Election day is May 7. The following map shows election day polling locations in Northwest Austin.
More election information can be found at https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/departments/elections and www.wilco.org/departments/elections.
Carson Ganong, Matt Stephens and Ben Thompson contributed to this report.
