The words civic duty are thrown around a lot during major election times, but what about in our day-to-day lives? There are constantly new issues being addressed, and it’s important to know what’s going on in your city. Here are a few easy ways to get involved and stay up to date.
Go to city council meetings.
All city council meetings are open to the public, unless under very special circumstances. Their website has the meeting times, places, and agendas available for you days in advance.
Go to SpeakUp Austin to give input online.
If you are unable or intimidated to go to the meetings in person, you can give your input online and see how others in the community feel as well.
Be prepared for elections.
Go to the Vote Travis website to see sample ballots and polling locations, and check your registration status.
Read the news
There’s a tendency these days to use social media as the main source of news. You can read the news for free with newspapers like the Daily Texan, KXAN, or the Austin American Statesman.
Follow journalists on Twitter
If reading the paper is not your cup of tea, you can follow journalists for quick updates. This way, you can get the gist of a story in a few seconds, and follow up if you want to know more.
It’s a lot easier to get involved in city politics than people think. Make sure you know what decisions are being made for you, and who’s making them.