It's Almost Time for an Election!

Photo by John Anderson

Monday, Oct. 7, is the last day to register to vote in time to participate in the Nov. 5 local and state elections. Early voting starts Monday, Oct. 21, and runs through Friday, Nov. 1. To cast a ballot, you must present an acceptable form of photo identification that matches the name found on the voter registration list. Voting locations and acceptable forms of photo and non-photo ID can be found at www.traviscountyclerk.org. On the ballot will be 10 state constitutional amendments, most dealing with minor issues that should not require the attention of every Texan, but what can you do. (Our endorsements will be published in two weeks, before early voting begins.)

More germane to Austinites are the two citizen initiatives placed on the ballot by local petition drives. Proposition A would require a City Council supermajority and voter approval for the use of city-owned land for any sports or entertainment facility – such as the 21,000-seat Major League Soccer stadium under construction now at McKalla Place. This would include the sale, transfer, or lease of city land, as well as any grants for site development permits. Prop B calls for a cap of 34% on how much of Austin's Hotel Occupancy Tax can be allocated toward expanding the Neal W. Kocurek Austin Convention Center, and sets forth how to reallocate remaining HOT funds. It also requires voter approval for all Convention Center improvements totaling more than $20 million. Follow our ongoing coverage at austinchronicle.com/elections.