Paws to the Polls: The Great Austin Pet Election

Paws to the Polls: The Great Austin Pet Election lands at the Central Health Southeast Health & Wellness Center on Thursday, August 13, from 10 AM to 12 PM. It's an all-ages block party that takes a lighthearted choice—electing a Pet Mayor of Austin—and turns it into a hands-on voting exercise. The League of Women Voters of the Austin Area is running the whole thing in partnership with the Travis County Clerk's Office.

Here's how it works: you start by researching the candidates using a nonpartisan Voters Guide and the VOTE411 resource, then you cast your ballot on actual voting machines provided by the Travis County Clerk's office. It's a way to get a feel for the process without the stakes of a real election. The event is part of a series of neighborhood block parties the League is hosting across Austin and Travis County throughout the summer, with voter registration and resources on hand at each one.

Beyond the voting, it's a block party in the truest sense. There's popcorn, Kona Ice snow cones, and kids' activities to keep things lively. One important detail to keep in mind: only registered service animals are allowed, so your own pets have to stay home, even though they're the stars of the ballot. It's a family-friendly morning, so it works just as well if you're bringing the kids as if you're coming on your own.

Paws to the Polls runs from 10 AM to 12 PM on Thursday, August 13, at the Central Health Southeast Health & Wellness Center, 2901 Montopolis Drive, Austin, TX 78741. Admission is free.