Good Morning, Austin. The National Weather Service says this Election Day should be a beautiful one with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the 50s tonight.
KUT will continue extended Election Day coverage today and tomorrow but, don't worry, John Aielli and Jay Trachtenberg will be back on the air as usual starting Thursday.
Here are some of the stories KUT News has been working on:
Election officials recommend that you vote early today. Get it done before you head into work if you can. If you can’t make it before getting to work; you can still go. By law, you’re entitled to paid time off for voting on Election Day, unless you’re off work for two consecutive hours during the times the polls are open. And remember you don’t have to drive all the way back home to vote in your local precinct this year.
Texans vote today on state representatives, some state senators, and Board of Education members. But do elected officials have the most power in Texas politics? Not always. Jennifer Stayton talks with Dave Mann of The Texas Observer about the seven biggest donors in Texas politics and what they’re getting for their money.
Over 5,000 people participated in Saturday’s Formula Run, a 3.4-mile race coordinated by the Circuit of the Americas and RunTex. The race was also the first chance for the public to view the newly minted, $400 million track. Along with the new Formula 1 racetrack, participants in Saturday’s Formula Run race saw bumper-to-bumper traffic, which has some local residents worried about traffic on the weekend of the big race.
This year is on track to be the fourth hottest in Texas history. That would be a big deal except that, in the wake of last year’s record heat, it seems like people are not noticing unusually warm weather.
Here are some more local and state stories that have people talking:
- Houston Voters To Decide On Texas' Largest Bond Proposal (KUHF 88.7FM)
Houston voters will head to the polls [today] to make the final decision on HISD's nearly 1.9 billion dollar bond proposal. It would help the district rebuild or renovate dozens of schools. "These high schools are 50+ years old, and there is not a real cheap way to get out of this because we have not updated our high schools in a long time, and they are literally crumbling." - Houston School Board trustee Paula Harris
- TPR Early Voter Exit Poll Shows 64 Percent Support Pre-K 4 SA Initiative (Texas Public Radio)
Among the most talked about issues this election season is San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro’s proposed Pre-K 4 SA program. Mayor Castro defended his program as a beginning to increasing brainpower for the future of business and productivity in the city. Opponents like County Commissioner Kevin Wolff think the plan is too vague and overlaps school district efforts.
