Happy first Monday of November! We're all in this together.

⛅ Today's weather: Partly sunny, high in the mid-80s.

🎵 Sounds like: "Paying The Cost To Be The Boss"

Situational awareness: Dallas police are investigating whether three shootings in Deep Ellum that left four people dead early yesterday are connected.

• Police are asking members of the public to share videos and photos of the incidents.

Today’s newsletter is 959 iconic words — a 3.5-minute read.

A petition to give voters a say on the future of the Dallas City Hall building has crossed the 20,000 vote threshold required to put the question on the ballot, organizers tell Axios.

Why it matters: If placed on the ballot in May — and approved by voters — the charter amendment would make the current Dallas City Hall the seat of government, unless voters decide otherwise.

Catch up quick: Organizers of Save Dallas City Hall Coalition began gathering signatures less than a month ago.

Friction point: The petition comes after a year of debate among City Council members about whether to address years of deferred maintenance in the building, or move elsewhere.

• The council received repair estimates ranging in the hundreds of millions of dollars to repair the current building — but critics think the actual costs could be lower.
• The building, designed by internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei, is less than 50 years old.

What they're saying: Preserving history is one objective behind the effort, but it's not the main issue, says petition organizer Aaron Harris who runs the political consulting firm LMK Strategies.

• "I think most people support it because they don't trust the City Council," Harris said.
• "I hope it's sending a message that they should recalibrate, and they should come off of their ridiculous baked numbers that no reputable preservation architect or preservation engineer would ever endorse," Bruce Richardson, president of Save Dallas City Hall Coalition, tells Axios.

What's next: The deadline to submit the petition is in early December. The Dallas City Secretary's Office must verify that at least 20,000 signers are registered voters living in Dallas.

• Harris says his team is verifying all signatures as they come in but that they're aiming for 26,000 signatures for some leeway.

📣 What do you think? Take our survey to weigh in on the City Hall debate.

In-person early voting turnout surpassed 2018 levels in four of Texas' five largest counties ahead of tomorrow's closely watched election.

Why it matters: The figures don't indicate which candidates are benefiting, but suggest voter enthusiasm is rivaling or surpassing that seen during the 2018 Senate race, when Republican Ted Cruz narrowly defeated Democrat Beto O'Rourke.

By the numbers: More than 7.1 million Texans voted early in person through Friday, the close of early voting, representing nearly 37.6% of registered voters, according to data from the Texas Secretary of State.

• Including mail ballots, the total climbs to more than 7.4 million, or 38.9% of registered voters.

Zoom in: In Dallas County, 36.6% of registered voters cast ballots early in person, down from 36.9% in 2018.

• Tarrant County saw the largest jump among the five largest counties, climbing from 38.5% in 2018 to 41.2% this year.
• Harris, Bexar and Travis counties also exceeded their 2018 turnout rates.
• Collin County turnout was 47.2%, compared to 46.7% in 2018. Denton County was 46.2%, compared to 43.5% in 2018.

The big picture: Recent polls have shown tight statewide races, including the race for U.S. Senate between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton, and for governor, between Republican incumbent Greg Abbott and Democrat Gina Hinojosa.

Reality check: High turnout doesn't necessarily favor either party.

What's next: Polls open tomorrow for Election Day 7am-7pm local time across Texas.

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🗳️ Your local reporters are working to help you understand the races, candidates and issues shaping your community.

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💾 Dozens of data centers are being planned in North Texas, per information provided by two companies that closely track data center development. (NBC5)

🏈 The Cowboys blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead to lose to the Arizona Cardinals 33-30 in overtime. (ESPN)

🏗️ H-E-B has sold land in Oak Lawn that could be used for an apartment community with over 300 units. (Dallas Business Journal)

🏫 Five former Texas Wesleyan University students are suing the university, alleging an over-enrollment scheme led to their dismissal. (KERA)

The Forest Theater in South Dallas reopened this weekend with the lighting of its tower and marquee for the first time in more than 50 years.

Why it matters: First opened in 1949, it was an entertainment hub for Black residents in the late 1950s and early 1960s during segregation.

• The construction of I-45 split the community.
• Sarah Crain, executive director of Preservation Dallas, tells Axios the neighborhood was "so brutally altered by the highway and interstate system" that it could not flourish anymore.

Flashback: The Forest Theater stopped showing movies in the mid-1960s and transitioned to a venue for live entertainment and nightlife.

• The theater closed in 2008.

Zoom in: The nonprofit Forest Forward, created to restore the theater, held a "Grand Return" event yesterday to mark its reopening and celebrate years of fundraising efforts.

• The theater will have a performance space, black box theater, rooftop event space and a sound recording room.

Fun fact: The Forest Theater has hosted big-name artists like Tina Turner, B.B. King, Jill Scott and Prince.

Our picks:

💃 Naheed is still out (but almost back).

🗳️ Megan is getting ready for Election Day.

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