How Low Can Voting Numbers Go?

It would be generous to say that Travis County's early voter turnout for the Austin ISD and Austin Community College board run-offs has been pathetic. Just 4,780 people have cast early ballots – a mere 0.96% of the county's registered voters. In other words, not even the attendance of a single Lady Longhorns basketball game to decide the leadership of districts that serve a combined 123,000 students. Highest turnout has been 818 at the Ben Hur Shriners Hall in Allandale; lowest has been a mere 58 at Daniel Ruiz Public Library in Montopolis. The AISD race pits Julie Cowan against Tamala Barksdale; ACC features David Reiter vs. Vic Villarreal. (See our endorsements and further coverage at austinchronicle.com/elections.) If you haven't cast a ballot yet, please head to the polls Saturday, 7am-7pm. To find your neighborhood precinct, go to www.traviscountyelections.org. If you're an ACC voter in Williamson County, go to www.wilco.org/elections.