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Date: 5/18/2026
Subject: The Weekly VOTER, May 18, 2026 - LWV of the Austin Area
From: LWV of the Austin Area




May 18, 2026


The Weekly VOTER masthead

Welcome to LWVAA's Weekly VOTER 
 
The Weekly VOTER is here to make sure everyone stays in the know about opportunities to empower voters and defend democracy in our community. Like what you see? Please share with your friends! 
 

Empowering Voters

2026 Primary Runoff election
🏃🏽🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♀️Run to the polls! Early Voting starts today!🏃🏽🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♀️

This year’s runoff includes major races such as the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas Attorney General, and Texas Lieutenant Governor. But voter turnout for the runoff is usually much lower than it is for the the primary: that means that the people who do show up have a huge impact on who advances to the November ballot.

Plan your route now:

🗳️ Early voting: May 18 - 22
🗳️ Runoff Election Day: May 26

Find your personalized ballot: VOTE411.org or a PDF of the Voters Guide.
 
Watch and share Laura's new video "Running to the Polls" on your favorite social media channel -- YouTubeInstagram, Facebook, or TikTok -- or on our election web page.

Volunteer

🗳️ Volunteers needed for First Vote!

VDRs needed to register high school seniors in Pflugerville ISD.  

🎓 May 19: First Vote! Hendrickson HSRegister seniors before/after their graduation rehearsal. Select a shift here.
🎓 May 20: First Vote! Weiss HSRegister seniors during senior check-out. Select a shift here.
🎓 May 20 & 21: First Vote! Pflugerville HS - Register seniors before/after their graduation rehearsal. Select a shift here.
🎓 May 20 & 21: First Vote! Connally HS - Register seniors during their senior breakfast. Select a shift here.
 
🎓 May 21:
2:30 - 4:00 p.m. - First Vote! Data Entry: If you can read cursive, pay attention to details, and are comfortable with spreadsheets, this event is for you! Register here.

5:30 - 7:00 p.m. - First Vote! Planning Team Meeting: Going to the classrooms to register voters is a lot of fun! But there is a lot of stuff that happens in the background to enable each high school visit to go smoothly. Join us at the LWVAA office to help plan for the next school year. This event is in person, but many of the planning activities can be done remotely. Register here.

Coming soon: If you live south, look for an opportunity to register voters at Bowie HS on May 26. We'll also need volunteers to register voters during AISD Grad Week.

Let's register some new voters! For more information, email firstvote@lwvaustin.org.

Join the LWVAA Member Contact Team
 
Are you looking for a way to volunteer from home? Help us stay in contact with our members and supporters by writing thank-you notes. There's an opportunity to start volunteering immediately with our donor thank-you team. We would like to take on additional projects, but we need your help.
 
Training -- including scripts -- will be provided. LWVAA supplies stationery and postage.
 
To learn more or to start volunteering, contact Membership Chair Joyce Jackson.


Partner with the League

⚖️ Be an Election Protection Volunteer in Williamson County
 
The Texas Civil Rights Project will provide online training on May 19 (6:00 - 7:30 p.m.) and May 23 (11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.). Sign up here
 
Visit 866ourvote.org if you encounter any issues at a polling place.

Democracy in the News

 Austin Chronicle:
🎒🚌 AISD Proposes Cutting Over 200 Full-Time Positions Alterations to some employees’ stipends, teachers’ planning periods, and more. By Sammie Seamon.
 
Austin Signal (KUT):
⚖️ Listen to Immigration in Central Texas — an Austin Signal special broadcast Learn how "while enforcement in some parts of the U.S. has been messy and public, operations here in Texas are being carried out with a quieter, systematic approach."
 
Community Impact:
 
Texas Tribune:
🗳️ Voting Rights Act ruling could change representation on city councils, school boards across Texas The 1965 federal law helped Latino and Black voters gain representation in city and school boards across Texas but now that could change. By Natalia Contreras.
⚖️ Federal judge halts parts of Texas immigration law the day before it was set to take effect A U.S. judge on Thursday granted a preliminary injunction against critical sections of Senate Bill 4, but a provision allowing police to arrest people suspected of illegal entry did activate. By Alex Nguyen.
💰 By threatening public safety grants, Greg Abbott exerts control over Texas cities The governor’s threats have produced quick wins on hot-button issues important to the GOP base – immigration and perceived threats posed by Islam. By Alex Nguyen.

Mark Your Calendar!

Highlighted League & community events 
Steal This Story Please movie poster
  • 🎓 May: Say "Hi" to LWVAA volunteers as they register voters at graduation ceremonies across Central Texas. Join us in celebrating student successes and accomplishments.

  • 🍿🎬 May 22 - 25: STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE! at the Austin Film SocietyDirected by Oscar-nominated filmmakers Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE! follows Amy Goodman’s three decades-long career holding the powerful to account and crafts a riveting portrait of journalism’s power -- and peril -- in an era of corporate control of the news and growing political attacks on democracy and freedom of press. Check out the film’s trailer here.

  • 🗳️ May 26: Women Vote! presents Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Familiesa policymaking and legal advocacy organization that works to advance economic justice, affordable and equitable health care, civil rights, and reproductive freedom for women in America. Register here.
  • 🏳️‍🌈 May 27: Trans Youth in SportsIn advance of the Supreme Court ruling on West Virginia v. B.P.J., Lambda Legal, CenterLink, and PFLAG will present a webinar breaking down the importance of this Supreme Court case and discussing how to best support TGNCNBI people across the country. Register here.

  • ❤️‍🩹 May 28: Protecting Your Mental Health While Doing Voter Engagement hosted by National Voter Registration Day. In this webinar, leaders from the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Democracy Security Project will join voter engagement experts to explore how structural challenges impact both mental health outcomes and civic voice, often leaving the most affected communities underrepresented in critical decisions. Register here.


Advocacy

Learn more & take action locally

May 28:  Austin City Council meeting

Take a survey
🗣️ Share your thoughts on the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan Does it still reflect our community today? What resonates, what’s missing, and what could be improved? Provide feedback with this quick survey. 

Find more opportunities to provide feedback on issues important to your community at the link below.


LWV of Bloomington, MN

⚖️ After the Civil War, Congress faced a fundamental question: What did it actually mean to be a citizen of the United States? Take a deep dive with LWV of Bloomington's well-researched article about The Clause in the 14th Amendment that the Supreme Court Gutted. Learn the significance of the 14th Amendment's Privileges or Immunities Clause: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.”

LWVUS
 
 
Press Releases:
News:
Blogs:
Keep up with National LWV Actions!
 
Go to LWV.org to empower voters and defend democracy nationally.
 

Membership

2026 annual meeting collage
League members had a great time reconnecting, recharging, and spending a Saturday morning with our LWVAA community!
 

All Roads Lead to the South
On Saturday, May 16, Central Texans came to the Texas Capitol for "All Roads Lead to the South," part of a national emergency protest against coordinated racist attacks on Black voting rights. This national day of action was intended to bring communities together through peaceful, nonpartisan civic engagement activities focused on democracy, voting rights, community empowerment, and public education.
 

If you've read this far, it must be worth it.
Share the LWVAA Weekly VOTER with your friends!
 

Just one more thing.

Franklin Vote411
Franklin says, "Use the LWV Voters Guide to research candidates!"
 
 

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The League shall not support or oppose any political party or candidates. It may take action on governmental measures and policies in the public interest after significant study and consensus is reached.

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Email: lwvaustin@lwvaustin.org
Phone: 512-451-6710
LWV Austin Area
3908 Avenue B
Austin, TX 78751

The League of Women Voters Austin Area is proud to be a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties, but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public.

The League of Women Voters Austin Area is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and tax exempt organization.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowable under the law. Tax identification number:
81-3447172