League of Women Voters Austin Area

The Voters Guide is a vital part of LWV’s Voters Service and Citizen Education efforts. It is an unbiased, nonpartisan report of candidates' views and/or ballot issues. In the Voters Guide, the League does not take a position in support of or opposition to the candidates, parties, or issues covered, and provides equal coverage of all candidates and initiatives on the ballot. The Voters Guide is a valued service that LWV provides for our community. It is truly an effort to encourage the informed participation of citizens in the election process. Many citizens and their communities have come to depend on information provided in Voters Guides, and they are a major reason people join and/or support the League.

The League of Women Voters Austin Area publishes Voters Guides for all local, primary, and general elections in Travis County and Williamson County. This includes candidates for US representative, Texas state senator and representative, mayor, city council, county commissioner, county judge, county attorney, district judge, district attorney, sheriff, constable, and local school boards. Also covered are ballot initiatives such as propositions to change city charters and local bond elections. In partnership with the League of Women Voters of Texas, Voters Guides also cover candidates and/or ballot issues voted on by the entire state, including U.S. senator, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, various commissioners, state supreme court, and court of criminal appeals. They also include some regional races (i.e., state board of education and courts of appeals) where the regions may encompass multiple counties and be served by multiple local Leagues.

All candidates in contested races that will appear on the ballot are invited to participate, including all parties and independent candidates. Standard questionnaires are sent to the candidates and their responses are printed verbatim. The responses are available as a downloadable PDF via the league's website and via the interactive website VOTE411.org, where voters can create a customizable ballot. For major elections in even numbered years, hard copy Voters Guides are printed and distributed throughout Travis County and Williamson County.