This East Texas town hasn’t held a city council election in at least 18 years
In Kennard, City Council members have been appointed after previous members retired or died. Full Story
![Donald Lamb Sr., a member of Kennard’s city council, poses for a portrait outside of City Hall following a city council meeting in Kennard on April 8, 2024. The city of Kennard recently canceled its city council elections for at least the 18th time.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/iY5ml6mDJU0tU-1VSrelEEpxrTo=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0fd65c70cad3eb29224d6a59a07d0ec0/0411%20Kennard%20Democracy%20CO%20TT%2018.jpg)
Texas is an economic and cultural powerhouse. It’s also among the least civically engaged states in America. This project explores how democracy is experienced and challenged here with a collection of stories that elevate the voices of regular voters, explainers that demystify elections and events where Texans share their concerns about the state’s institutions. Sign up for our bimonthly newsletter with the latest updates here.
In Kennard, City Council members have been appointed after previous members retired or died. Full Story
In limited instances, the choices some Texas voters make can later be identified using public, legally available data. Full Story
At the three-day convention, delegates moved the needle further to the right, preaching Christian nationalism and approving rules that would give them unprecedented control of elections. Full Story
We’ll talk about the challenges with the implementation of the Texas Public Information Act, how it’s affecting Texans and what solutions are available. Full Story
We want to hear about how heated elections affect the people learning, teaching and living in districts across Texas. Full Story
Courtney Gore, a Granbury ISD school board member, has disavowed the far-right platform she campaigned on. Her defiance has brought her backlash. Full Story
The largesse from billionaires Tim Dunn and brothers Farris and Dan Wilks has made its way into local politics. Courtney Gore, a Republican school board member in Granbury, says it’s part of their strategy to build support for vouchers. Full Story
There is no process in Texas for a voter-driven statewide referendum. So, supporters are going city by city to build statewide momentum. Full Story
The last day to register to vote is April 29. Early voting runs from May 20-24. Full Story
The Texas Tribune and ProPublica analyzed 35 Texas school districts that held trustee elections last fall and found none that posted all of the required campaign finance records. Full Story
We talked about local news and news deserts in Texas, how communities are impacted and what can be done to ensure Texans across the state have access to reliable local news. Full Story
Brazos County election officials are responding to demands from skeptical residents by expanding hand counts and ordering special paper. Full Story
Early voting runs from April 22-30. The last day to apply to vote by mail is April 23. Full Story
Voting is habit-forming and high schools are critical for starting that pattern. Full Story
Texas’ turnover rate has held steady at 40% since 2014. That’s slightly above the new national average. Full Story
Across this border city, which sees some of the state’s lowest voter turnout, many residents either didn’t know there was an election in March or had reasons for avoiding the polls. Full Story
During the panel conversation, the panelists talked about what inspires them to do the work they do and how they see their role in driving dialogue, activism and change. Full Story
The Texas Secretary of State and other election experts warned Gillespie County Republicans the process would be expensive, time-consuming and less reliable. Full Story
For a long time, I didn’t want to think or talk about elections or politics. That changed four years ago. Full Story
During a conversation hosted in Houston by The Texas Tribune, panelists talked about the importance of building bridges among different faiths despite politics often causing divisions within institutions. Full Story
In Texas, who’ll run the state is usually decided in the primary. Because of gerrymandering and noncompetitive elections, few people participate. Full Story
Gillespie County Republicans are moving forward with a plan to count votes by hand during the 2024 primary election. Full Story
Moments after I became a naturalized citizen in 2023, I registered to vote. Here’s what happened next. Full Story
While polls once showed Trump and DeSantis tied in Texas, they now suggest the primary is all but over here. Trump leads Nikki Haley by a landslide. Full Story
Sessions at the event, held at the University of Houston-Downtown, tackled voter turnout, local governance, community news and more. Full Story
A new law requires small counties to increase early voting days and hours — with no new money from the state. Full Story
Try our new text messaging line that guides you through the voting process. Full Story
A new law requires counties that allow residents to vote at any polling location to increase the number of locations. Full Story
In 2024, we’ll be throwing the weight of The Texas Tribune behind listening closely to Texans about their lives and communities and how they engage in public life. Full Story
We’re committed to supporting Texans throughout the 2024 election. Share your thoughts by using the form below. Full Story
In December, all five members of the city council quit. A fight over a railroad development spiraled into political mudslinging, broken trust and conspiracy. Full Story
The deadline to register to vote was Feb. 5. The last day to apply to vote by mail was Feb. 23. Early voting ended March 1. Full Story