Prepare to be a Voter!
The May 4 municipal election is approaching quickly! Early voting starts April 22 and ends April 30. This municipal election will include races for city council, school district trustees, and Dallas College trustees. Voters in some cities will also vote on bond referendums, charter amendments, and other municipal races.
Prepare to be a voter!
| How to Vote by Mail for the May 4 Election
In Texas you must apply to vote by mail every year. Dallas County Elections Department can receive applications beginning on January 1. The deadline to apply for the May 4 election is April 23. But we advise that you send it in early to allow for potential delays by mail.
You can vote by mail in Texas if you are:
- 65 years or older
- Sick or disabled
- Out of the country during early voting and Election Day
- Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
- In jail but otherwise eligible to vote
Want to track your Ballot by Mail? Click here to use the Texas Secretary of State's Ballot by Mail Tracker.
Want a video explanation of the Ballot by Mail process? Watch these LWVTX videos.
| Candidate Forums
The May 4 municipal election is coming up soon! In preparation, LWVD is co-sponsoring several forums with the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce. Recordings of the events will be posted on the NDCC Facebook page after the event. Information about how to watch or attend the forums is below:
A candidate forum is a public meeting in which two or more of the candidates for office present their views in short individual speeches in response to moderator questions.
The League of Women Voters never supports or opposes any political party or political candidate. Forums sponsored by LWVD, or in which LWVD participates are nonpartisan and ensure that all participating candidates are treated fairly and equally. | LWV Texas Convention Coming to Dallas!
We invite League members to the biennial state convention, which will be hosted in Dallas from Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21. The convention will take place at the Embassy Suites Dallas Park Central near the intersection of U.S. 75 and I-635. Click here to view more information and get your tickets.
A limited number of subsidized tickets are available for members who would be financially burdened by the ticket price. If you would like a subsidized ticket, email President@LWVDallas.org.
State conventions are held on even-numbered years, typically rotating between the major Texas cities. Every local League chooses delegates to attend the meeting and vote on the state's program, officers and directors, nominating committee, budget, and any other business that needs to be voted on by representatives of the local Leagues. Any League member can attend, but only delegates can vote on League business.
This year, the state convention will consist of:
- Workshops related to the League's Voter Services, Advocacy, and management
- A plenary session where League business will be voted on
- A silent auction
- Two lunches - One optional for an additional fee
- Reader's Theatre Presentation: Press on My Sisters! The ERA, Then and Now
- The Women Power the Voter Dinner fundraiser - Optional with additional fee
Workshop information and the Convention Workbook will be uploaded to this LWVTX webpage in the coming days.
There will also be Convention preparation webinars!
- Proposed Program Caucus - April 2, 2024 at 7:00pm - This meeting is for Convention delegates to ask questions about the proposed program and recommendations to be voted on.
- Proposed Budget Q&A - April 9, 2024 at 7:00pm - At this meeting the LWVTX budget will be presented and members' budget related questions will be answered.
Click here to view the descriptions for all three webinars and to register.
We're hoping for a big Dallas League turnout at this year's convention! See you there! | Dallas County Elections Dept. Website Update
Good news for voting advocates - the Dallas County Elections Department (DCED) website has been updated for better accessibility! Click here to visit it. I haven’t received a list of changes yet, but I have spent a little time each day poking around. Two things are reported here:
- On the top of the homepage there is a language option. This may have been available before but I noticed it for the first time. Most of the website is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
- The maps webpages have been updated. Click here to view it. It still needs a bit of work on organizing and I sent them some suggestions. But you can find links to the maps from at least two directions – under the Elected Officials pull down and under the Voter Information pull down.
Before the website was updated, I could only find a couple of districts and the layers were opaque so I couldn’t make any sense of them. The new website is a huge improvement. The map files can be accessed in your browser, using an interface similar to maps application, or downloaded as PDF documents. The PDF version is a marked improvement from the version that was previously provided to LWVD for inclusion in our Voters Guide.
The GIS map also impressed me! Click here, then click the black button in the center of the webpage to access it. To find it on the web, go to www.dallascountyvotes.org, then click "Elected Officials," then "Historical Voting Precincts / Maps," and finally click on the black button labeled "2021 New Redistricting Maps (2021 vs 2013 Data)".
The default view is has these layers automatically selected: "Commissioner," "Current Precincts," and "2013 Precincts (Obsolete)". You can find the list of layers on the left. My suggestion is to turn off the "2013 Precincts (Obsolete)" by going to the layer list and clicking the blue check mark next to it. Then, try clicking on some or all the other layers to see how the districts are situated. In the upper left of the map are some handy tools and you can move the map by simply clicking and dragging.
Thank you DCED for the improvements to this great resource!
Diane Tasian (Retired Architect)
LWVD Director of Volunteers | Give Feedback on Dallas's FY 2024-2025 Budget
Through the month of March, the City of Dallas is engaging residents in the budget process for fiscal year 2024-2025. There are several ways to get information and give your opinions to the City Council and city staff.
- Budget 101 Videos by the City of Dallas
- View the adopted FY 2023-2024 budget
- Take the budget priorities survey
- Go to one of the 19 town halls taking in every district of the city between March 25 and March 30.
- Go to the March 30 town hall at Fair Park. There will be entertainment, food trucks, over 20 city departments with resources, and town hall meeting
| Observer Corps
Observers attend meetings to learn about issues and take notes for the community. They keep residents informed while holding officials accountable. Whether you attend in person or virtually, any member can participate. Visit the Observer Corps webpage for more information and resources, including the report form.
Upcoming Meetings:
Dallas County Commissioners Court - First and third Tuesdays at 9 a.m.
Dallas City Council Meeting - First and third Wednesdays at 9 a.m.
Dallas ISD Board Meeting - Fourth Thursdays at 6 p.m.
| Calendar
Click Events for the latest information
Senior Voter Service at The Tradition - April 2 1:00PM - 3:00PM at The Tradition on Lovers Lane. Click here to volunteer.
Voter Registration at Eastfield Campus - April 2 11:00AM - 1:00PM at Eastfield Campus of Dallas College. Click here to volunteer.
Senior Voter Services at The Landon - April 3 1:30PM - 3:30PM at The Landon at Lake Highland. Click here to volunteer.
Last day to Register to Vote for May 4 Election - April 4
Voter Registration at Eastfield Campus - April 4 10:00AM - 2:00PM at Eastfield Campus of Dallas College. Click here to volunteer.
Voter Registration at Richland for Eclipse Viewing - April 8 11:30AM - 2:00PM at Richland Campus of Dallas College. Many volunteers needed for this 5000+ attendee event. Click here to volunteer.
Senior Voter Service at Belmont Village Uptown - April 15 3:00PM - 5:00PM at The Belmont Village Uptown. Click here to volunteer.
Early Voting for May 4 Election Begins - April 22
| Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. | |
League of Women Voters of Dallas
6060 N. Central Expwy, Ste #500
Dallas, Texas 75206
(214) 688-4125
info@lwvdallas.org
lwvdallas.org
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