🗳️ Your guide to elections

🔭 Small Version of Big Telescope on Display at UT

A new exhibit at the Texas Science & Natural History Museum on the University of Texas at Austin campus includes a small version of McDonald Observatory’s Hobby-Eberly Telescope. [The University of Texas]

🎙️ How To Do ACL Fest Like a Pro

The first weekend of Austin City Limits Music Festival starts in mere hours and we’ve got your back. Deborah Sengupta Stith and Mars Salazar of the Austin American-Statesman are on the City Cast Austin podcast today sharing all their festival wisdom before you head out to Zilker Park. [City Cast Austin]

🚓 More G File Clarifications

Interim City Attorney Deborah Thomas said in a city memo this week that all police officer conduct documentation, including items in a past secret G File and current documents, are not confidential and subject to release. [KXAN]

🌳 City Shares What Parks Over I-35 May Look Like

Austin officials released renderings of what planned parks over Interstate 35 could look like once the highway’s lanes are lowered. [KUT]

❗Red River Cultural District Needs Funding

The Red River Cultural District, a non-profit supporting businesses in the Red River downtown area, is urgently asking for monetary donations to keep the organization afloat. [Red River Cultural District]

Elections are right around the corner. Dozens of local and state races will be decided next month. It’s not all about the White House. Here’s a primer to get you ready.

Key Dates:

🗳️ Oct. 7: Deadline To Register To Vote

Voter registration applications are available at all Austin public libraries, tax offices, U.S. Postal Service offices, and the state offices for the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. You can also request an application be sent to you via the Texas Secretary of State website.

Print out an application, fill it out, and mail it to the Travis County voter registration division at 2433 Ridgepoint Dr. You can also drop off the application at a county tax office.

Not sure if you’re registered? Check online.

📅 Oct. 21 - Nov. 1: Early Voting

Want to beat Election Day lines? Texas was actually one of the first states to implement early voting. During the last presidential election, 64.7% of Travis County’s registered voters cast ballots during Early Voting. That’s 553,103 people. Join them to cast your ballot early, starting Oct. 21. We love having more than one day to get our civic duty done, right, y’all?

📝 Oct. 25: Deadline To Request Ballot by Mail.

You qualify to vote by mail if you are 65 or older, sick or disabled, expected to give birth within three weeks of Election Day, plan to be out of the county during early voting and on Election Day, or if you are in jail and eligible to vote.

Print the form to apply for a ballot by mail or request an application be sent to you via the Texas Secretary of State website.