Voters in Williamson County will be able to use any of the county’s polling locations in two upcoming May elections.

This comes after some residents experienced longer-than-average wait times and other complications on election day during the March primaries, which had precinct-based voting.

The update: The local Republican Party announced it will adjust its primary runoff contract with the county to allow voters to cast ballots at any polling location in the county, rather than in their specific voting precinct.

The runoff election for the March primaries will take place May 26, with early voting running May 18-22.

Additionally, the upcoming local elections May 2 will also allow for countywide voting locations, as set by Williamson County. Round Rock, Hutto, Cedar Park and Georgetown have city council seats on the ballot in this election. 

Some context: The local Republican and Democratic parties determine election day procedures for primaries. 

Kites, wiener dogs, bluegrass and more—the spring festival season is here, and it stretches well beyond Austin city limits. 

ABC Kite Fest
Nearly a century old, this Zilker Park tradition will pull more than 10,000 kites into the Austin sky. Handmade and commercial kites will compete side-by-side while live music, children’s activities, a pet zone and a mini market populate the park.

• April 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Free (admission)

• 2100 Barton Springs Road, Austin

Red Poppy Festival
Georgetown's downtown square will transform over three days with a mix of artisan markets, live music, food vendors and parades celebrating the event's namesake flower.

• April 24-26, times vary

• Free (admission)

• 710 S. Main St., Georgetown

Buda Wiener Dog Races
Buda, the self-proclaimed Wiener Dog Capital of Texas, will host dachshund races across multiple heats with awards for speed and costumes. The two-day event aims to bring families together for food, vendors and community celebration.

• April 25-26, 8 a.m.

• $10

• 204 San Antonio St., Buda

Check out six upcoming or ongoing transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects
183A Toll at Scottsdale Drive dedicated U-turn
Project: This project will shift through-lanes west and construct a new right-turn lane at Scottsdale Drive.
Update: Plans that include the first 30% of the design process are being reviewed.

• Timeline: expected completion winter 2027

• Cost: $1.3 million

• Funding source: 2022 transportation bond

Ongoing projects
Austin to shutter South Terminal as airport expansion continues; future Concourse M designs revealed
The South Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport officially shut down March 31 after less than a decade in operation.

The auxiliary terminal will be demolished to make way for new midfield taxiways as part of the multiyear Journey with AUS campus expansion. That includes the addition of the 26-gate Concourse B with a new connecting tunnel to the existing Barbara Jordan Terminal, and the development of a temporary six-gate southern terminal called Concourse M.

The Texas power grid is undergoing “generational” growth, experts said during the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ annual summit March 31 in Round Rock. Much of that growth is due to data centers—an industry under scrutiny from state lawmakers as some Texas communities push back against proposed developments.

The big picture: Over 2,000 projects totaling 453,000 megawatts are currently looking to connect to the state grid, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said April 1. About 357,000 megawatts of those connection requests are potential data centers, ERCOT documents show.

Looking ahead: Communities should take the lead on discussions about individual data center projects, Vegas told reporters. He said that when “communities that are ready to support those investments,” ERCOT is prepared to help data centers connect to the grid.

During a March 31 discussion on data centers, panelists noted that the projects have an “increasingly high” negative reputation in communities across the state. Austin consultant Eric Goff said developers often need to make commitments to local residents to earn their support for data center proposals.