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Texas is known for having particularly low voter turnout during midterm, off-year and special elections. And for years now, those interested in civic engagement in Texas have wrung their hands over what to do. As we've seen in some rather recent election cycles, when large numbers of eligible voters feel they have a stake in the outcome they tend to turn out in considerably greater numbers. “Voter salience” is the term often used in that regard.

Yet one must wonder: how many folks who recently learned of historic hikes in their property valuations know that a vote on May 7 could affect their property taxes? Here’s where the issue of “voter salience” comes into play. Depending on where you live in Texas, you’re likely to see local issues like city council seats, school board bonds, local propositions and the like on the ballot ( early voting is now underway).

But that’s not all. As Texas Newsroom journalists Sergio Martínez-Beltrán and Julián Aguilar report, there are two constitutional amendments on that ballot as well: one that would potentially cut property taxes for Texans over age 65, and another that could increase the homestead exemption statewide. The wording of the two measures is not what you’d call an example of clear, voter-friendly writing by any stretch. If you missed it, we encourage you to check out an excellent primer from Julián and Sergio.

As more people move into Texas, pushing housing prices sharply upward (and property taxes, too), it is hard to imagine that the issue will not loom large in the next legislative session, and take up an increasing portion of the political conversation in Texas in the meantime. It’s one of many stories we continue to track here at the Texas Standard, and as always, we welcome your thoughts on the matter.

What do you think? Reach out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or email and let us know.

- David Brown

Listen: An East Texas superintendent explains why more school districts may go to a four-day week

DeKalb ISD is one of several area districts that went to a four-day week to fight staff burnout. What do you think?

In one Rio Grande Valley abortion clinic, unregulated care in Mexico brings complications

Whole Woman’s Health of McAllen performs limited abortion services after Texas’ law took effect. That's also driven women to seek medication and care in Mexico that isn’t as safe.

How an idea for a ‘travel taco’ turned into an opportunity for father-daughter bonding

Kaitlin Ruiz’s tweet about her father’s idea for a taco that won’t spill went viral with almost a half-million likes. "I love my dad; I think he’s great. And it’s just made me so happy to see other people come to the same conclusion."

Archives of Richard and Doris Kearns Goodwin headed to UT’s Briscoe Center

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin has chronicled the lives of U.S. presidents for over five decades. Her husband Richard Goodwin worked in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Now their combined archives are coming to UT-Austin.

Austinites get to vote on weed and no-knock warrants this election (KUT Austin)
Trans kids and their families are leaving Texas amid state efforts to charge parents with child abuse (Houston Public Media)
Food truck proponents say rule changes could make Dallas a more friendly city for street cuisine (KERA North Texas)
New theme park wants kids to visit and play with the machines but then stay to work in the industry (Texas Public Radio)

The Talk of Texas is running down the state’s entire 254 counties – Anderson to Zavala – with points of interest pulled from the Texas Standard archives.

Is there a can't-miss attraction in your area? Drop us a line and let us know.

A map of Texas counties highlighting Archer in North Texas

Archer County

Founded: 1880
County seat: Archer City
Population: 8,560
Windy city: Sitting near the bottom of Tornado Alley, north Texas’ Archer County has felt its share of high winds. A 2015 report from the Standard noted the prevalence of tornado sirens in the region – and the controversy when neighboring Wichita County didn’t sound their alarm over a storm spawned in Archer.
By the book: Literature might not be the first thing you’d think of in connection to Archer. But Texas’ most famous author – Larry McMurtry – was born in Archer City and died there too, opening and closing a massive multi-building bookstore there along the way. The remote town was served as a model for many of McMurtry’s literary settings.
One last thing: As our commentator W.F. Strong notes, McMurtry wasn’t the only man of letters with connections to Archer City.

“They have the capacity to teach us something about the power of culture to change the world … how these utopian visions and impulses that might have been obscured in history can spring from just about any place or time.”

- Luis Alvarez

We recently featured a thought-provoking talk with the author of "Chicanx Utopias: Pop Culture and the Politics of the Possible" on how the representation of marginalized people in mediums like TV reflected and often drove real-world change.

Listen to stories from Texas with W. F. Strong

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