Election Day is Nov. 5, and in-person early voting in Texas kicks off today.

Why it matters: In addition to the presidency, control of U.S. Congress is at stake, and Austin-area voters will have a say in multiple races.

• Austin voters will decide who they want to lead their city and whether to increase taxes to subsidize child care.
• Residents in the Austin school district will vote on raising taxes for teacher and staff raises and two contested school board seats.
• Round Rock ISD voters will weigh a $998 million bond package, the largest in district history.

Zoom in: You may vote at any polling location in the county in which you're registered.

• Find polling places in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties here, here and here.

Other key dates: In-person early voting ends Nov. 1.

• Oct. 25 is the last day to apply to vote by mail. Eligible voters include those 65 or older on Election Day and those who are sick or disabled.

The intrigue: Most area U.S. House and legislative races are expected to be lopsided, with districts drawn to favor one party or the other.

The bottom line: You've waited a long time to vote. Now's your chance.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is facing four opponents as he aims for re-election.

Why it matters: The mayor presides over City Council meetings, oversees key appointments and sets the tone and direction for the city.

Between the lines: Watson is emphasizing competency at City Hall.

• He ousted the Austin city manager after criticism over poor communication during widespread power outages following a 2023 ice storm;
• Steered an ambitious easing of home construction restrictions;
• Oversaw investments in job training and combating homelessness;
• And helped protect Austin's light rail project from getting dismantled by state officials.

The other side: His opponents have criticized his ill-fated state policing partnership and the continuing challenges of affordability in Austin. Those opponents are:

• Jeffery Bowen, a consultant who served in the U.S. Air Force;
• Doug Greco, former executive director of Central Texas Interfaith, a nonprofit that focuses on homelessness and housing affordability;
• Carmen Llanes Pulido, an affordable housing advocate who runs the group Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin;
• And Kathie Tovo, a former Austin City Council member who has taught courses in urban politics at the University of Texas.

Follow the money: Watson has vastly outraised his challengers.

What's next: If no candidate receives more than 50% support, the top two vote-getters will square off in a Dec. 14 runoff.

Voters in Districts 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10 will get to select their council members.

Why it matters: The City Council determines the city budget, sets the tax rate and oversees the city operations.

District 4: José "Chito" Vela, an immigration attorney who is the incumbent in this north-central district, faces a challenge from community organizer Monica Guzmán.

District 7: With incumbent Leslie Pool term-limited, seven people are trying to represent this north-central district, including former Democratic congressional candidate Mike Siegel, civil rights attorney Gary Bledsoe and former union organizer Adam Powell.

District 10: With incumbent Alison Alter deciding not to run for a third term in this northwest Austin district, voters will decide between consultant Marc Duchen, who opposes city reforms to encourage housing density, and Ashika Ganguly, a former Austin public school teacher who is the legislative director for Austin Democratic state Rep. John Bucy.

Two more City Council races

Travis County voters will decide whether to increase property taxes 2.5 cents per $100 in valuation to subsidize child care.

• Travis County commissioners say that would generate more than $75 million annually, which will help pay for child care for infants and toddlers in low-income families.

Follow the money: The average Travis County homeowner could pay an additional $126 annually, per KUT.

• Subsidies would be earmarked for families earning 85% or less of the median family income. For a family of four, that's an annual income of about $100,000.
• The money would also be channeled to child care providers to help them hire more workers.

The bottom line: "This is an attempt to try to really set the future in a very positive way for [children]," Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gómez said in August as commissioners unanimously approved the ballot measure.

Knowledge is power, and we believe in empowering our community through reliable, local journalism.

Join our membership program for just $50+ a year, and you can support our efforts to keep you in the know of what's happening around town.

• You'll get insider notes and other perks as a thanks.

Together, we can ensure our neighbors stay informed.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican former Texas solicitor general first elected to the Senate in 2012, faces U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-Dallas).

Why it matters: An Allred upset might be key in keeping the U.S. Senate in the hands of Democrats.

Allred, a fundraising juggernaut and civil rights attorney, has tried to make the election a referendum on Cruz's anti-abortion rights positions, and he's criticized Cruz's visit to Cancún, Mexico, in 2021 during the deadly Texas winter storm.

• Allred picked up the endorsement of Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney.

Cruz, meanwhile, has tried to energize Texas Republican voters, warning them against complacency amid a newly invigorated Democratic Party.

• Despite a record of voting against major pieces of bipartisan legislation — the CHIPS Act and the Ukraine-Israel aid package — Cruz has presented himself on the campaign trail as a dealmaker, part of an effort to augment his conservative, rural base with suburban swing voters, per the Wall Street Journal.

Of note: Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994, but Cruz only narrowly won re-election against Beto O'Rourke in 2018.