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A whimsical illustration showcasing Austin landmarks, with the text: Field Guide to Austin.
Field Guide to Austin
Discover (or rediscover) what makes Austin stand out.

Where does democracy happen in Austin?

The Austin Common | By Amy Stansbury,
Sylvia Asuncion-Crabb
Published July 15, 2024 at 5:01 AM CDT
A graphic with multiple illustrations of different buildings around Austin where democracy happens in big and small ways.
The Austin Common

Here in Austin, there are lots of ways to engage with our local democratic system and make your voice heard. But how do you actually do that? Where are you supposed to go? KUT and The Austin Common have teamed up to put together this handy little guide for ya!

A graphic titled "City Hall" with an illustration of Austin City Hall. Alongside the illustration are the words: "This is Austin City Hall. It's located at 201 W. 2nd St. This is where council meetings are held and all of the council members (plus the mayor) have their offices. Council meetings are open to the public and often include opportunities for public input. City Hall is the hub of our local government, which deals with issues like housing, homelessness, policing and transportation."
The Austin Common
A graphic titled "Travis County" with an illustration of the Travis County Administration Building. Alongside the illustration are the words: "This is the Travis County Administration Building. It is located at 700 Lavaca St. This is where the Travis County Commissioners Court meets (on the 1st floor). They're kind of like City Council, but for all of Travis County (which includes places like Pflugerville and Bee Cave). This is the hub of our county government, which is in charge of our local court system, jails, elections, Sheriff's Office and some parks (like Hamilton Pool and Pace Bend).
The Austin Common
A graphic titled "Texas Capitol" with an illustration of the Texas Capitol Building. Alongside the graphic are the words: "This is the Texas Capitol Building. It's located at 1100 Congress Avenue. This is where the Texas Legislature meets. It's where you go to testify at a hearing or meet with your Texas state representative or senator. This is the hub of our state government, which makes decisions for all of Texas and specifically deals with things like education, the powers of local government guns, the electric grid and health care."
The Austin Common
A graphic titled "AISD" with an illustration of the Austin Independent School District Headquarters building. Alongside the illustration are the words: "This is the Austin Independent School District Headquarters building. It is located at 4000 S. I-35 Frontage Road. This is where AISD Board of Trustees meetings are held. Meetings are open to the public and often include opportunities for public comment. The school board sets high-level policies for the district's 73,000 students and 116 schools. This includes setting the property tax rate, approving the budget, calling for bond elections and hiring the superintendent."
The Austin Common
A graphic titled "Municipal Court" with an illustration of the Austin Municipal Court building. Alongside the illustration are the words: "This is the main location of the Austin Municipal Court. It's located at 6800 Burleson Road. Although most local courts are county-run, the Municipal Court is run by the City of Austin and handles the lowest-level offenses (like parking/traffic tickets and violations of city rules. Although most tickets can be dealt with online, if you choose to protest a ticket or have questions, you might end up at the Municipal Court."
The Austin Common
A graphic titled "Civil Court" with two illustrations of buildings labeled the "New courthouse" and the "Old courthouse." Alongside the illustrations are the words: "This is the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility. It's located at 1700 Guadalupe Street." Under the illustration labeled "New courthouse" are the words: "It opened in 2023 and replaces the old Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse. This new building is much larger and includes child care facilities. Civil cases don't involve jail time and usually result in some kind of fine. They also include custody and divorce cases. If you ever get called into jury duty, this is one of the court houses where you might serve."
The Austin Common
A graphic titled "Criminal Court" with an illustration of a criminal court building. Alongside the graphic are the words: "This is the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center. It's located at 509 W. 11th Street. This is where many criminal trials are held. If you ever get called into jury duty, this is another one of the courthouses where you might serve."
The Austin Common
A graphic titled "Libraries" with an illustration of a large library building on it. Alongside the illustration are the words: "This is the Austin Central Library. It's located at 710 W. Cesar Chavez Street. The Austin Central Library is a pretty cool place to visit (and has a rooftop garden), but there are 20 additional library branches in neighborhoods across the city. At the library, you can obviously check out books, but you can also reserve a private meeting room, take free classes and use a computer/printer. Plus, most libraries serve as polling locations!"
The Austin Common

The Austin Common is a community news site and civic education organization that makes learning about local government fun by using art and social media to explain the news. You can keep up with The Austin Common by following them on Instagram (@The_Austin_Common) or subscribing to their weekly email newsletter.
Tags
Austin Austin City HallAustin City CouncilLibrariesTravis CountyMunicipal CourtTravis County CourtsTexas CapitolAustin ISDField Guide: Be A Good Citizen
Amy Stansbury
See stories by Amy Stansbury
Sylvia Asuncion-Crabb
See stories by Sylvia Asuncion-Crabb
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