Rick Perry's presidential bid is quickly fading just two months after it started. In the NBC/WSJ poll released last night, Herman Cain leads Mitt Romney 27 percent to 23 percent, with Perry coming in a dismal 16 percent, down more than 15 points since August and unlikely to climb back to front runner status in part due to his sudden similarities to the former governor Bush. more ›

The Austin Chronicle's annual best-of poll is now open! You can share your pick for the city's best Farmer's Market, Film Critic, Local Blog, Local Entertainment Website (*cough cough*), Swimming Hole, Austin Icon and more. Online voting is open through Monday, July 18th. [Austin Chronicle: Best of Austin 2011 poll] more ›

• A poll sponsored by Kos and put together by Research 2000 has Texas Republicans split (48%/48%, with 4% not sure) on the question of whether Texas would be better off as a whole other country. A majority of them approve of Perry's comments about our state perhaps, maybe, sometime in the future seceding. In all though, 61% of Texans say Texas should stay in the states, and a majority don't approve of Perry's statements last week. [Washington Post]
• Elise Hu, KVUE's political reporter, illustrates how some state politicians/legislators still have a long ways to go in their views of Chinese-Americans, including the Betty Brown incident with a couple others this session. The last paragraph of her post is priceless. [Political Junkie]
• Vice President Biden will be in town next week to tour the National Domestic Violence Hotline Center (2009 is the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act, which Biden championed). He'll also attend a DNC fundraising lunch while in town. Wonder if he'll have anything to say about Perry's hints at secession. [KUT]
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The first 2009 issue of the will include a ballot for their 28th Annual Austin Music Poll. But if you don't want to have to use snail mail to send the paper ballot in, you can vote for your pick for Best New Austin Band, Album of the Year, Best Live Music Venue and more on their site. Entries must be received by Friday, January 30th. The winners will be announced at the Austin Music Awards which kick off SxSW in March. [Austin Chronicle] more ›

Bring your camera with you to the polls today: share videos and photos from your polling places, election parties and communities with Austinist on Flickr. Either tag them "austinist" or submit them to the Austinist group! more ›

Polls are open from 7am to 7pm. more ›

A certain local website with a feature that starts with "A" and ends with "ist" (which appeared right around the time they hired our former editor) is having a little poll. They ask "Which local Web site is the best?" Um ... le duh! Vote here (early and often - up to once an hour). more ›

Image from SOS Alliance SOS Holiday Party & Silent AuctionFriday, December 7Mercury Hall (615 Cardinal Lane)$10 Suggested Donation, 7pm - Midnight[info]Tonight, the Save Our Springs Alliance will be hosting their annual Holiday Party and Silent Auction at Mercury Hall. In addition to food, drinks and great people, the event will showcase music by two environmentally-conscience local bands, Bill Oliver's Otter Space Band and The Bouldin Creek Bobkats. The Silent Auction features items from over 300... more ›

As we move to the next square on the calendar you're still out there trying to make a connection. Sadly you let most of them slip by without saying a word. We understand, no one wants to be overzealous and get shot down. If only you had some place to find a second chance. Oh yes, Missed Connections. If only you had someone to sort through and find the best of the above. Oh,... more ›

Photo by CAVE CANEM on flickrToday's the day to cast your vote in the statewide Constitutional Amendment Election. If you're unfamiliar with the sixteen propositions appearing on the ballot, we've reprinted them after the jump. Austinist is officially recommending that you vote "NO" on Prop 12, which would authorize the Texas Transportation Commission to issue up to $5 billion in bonds for so-called "highway improvement projects"—read about it here. We're also recommending a wholehearted "YES"... more ›

Senator Barack Obama is coming back to Austin in November. This time around, you'll have to show a little monetary support if you'd like to hear what he has to say—judging from his rousing speech at Auditorium Shores last February, it'll probably be worth it. The charismatic statesman still trails behind Clinton in the national polls, but a recent survey indicates that "rock star" Obama has garnered the most positive press. Tickets are $25 for... more ›

DPS will let the neighbors know that an Austin couple (mentioned in yesterday's Extra Extra) are not sex offenders. Because of "grade issues" and injuries, Johnston High's football season may already be kaput. So teens can't vote? A former Texas Secretary of State thinks they should be able to work at the polls anyway. City of Austin releases schedule for free flu shots; check eligibility requirements. Some North Texas sex offenders arrested for posting... more ›

Okay, we thought New Mexico guv Bill Richardson had already announced his campaign for Presidency, but guess not. In GOP news, Giuliani isn't polling well in Iowa; Mitt Romney is beating him and McCain in the polls up there. Al Qaeda militants are taking on the military at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. 71 people have been killed so far. European developers are not amused with soon-to-be-former World Bank Prez Wolfowitz. Former US... more ›

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Paul Burka, Senior Executive Editor of Texas Monthly, reports on his latest blog that plans for a George W. Bush Presidential Library on the SMU campus are meeting some serious resistance. Burka writes, “A letter, dated December 16, from ‘Faculty, Administrators, & Staff’ of the Perkins School of Theology to R. Gerald Turner, president of the Board of Trustees, is now circulating not only on the SMU campus but also among a wider academic community,... more ›

On Tuesday, the American -ists will be celebrating democracy and hitting the polls, letting politicians know what they really think. It just made us wonder: if it were up to the -ist-a-verse, what would we be voting for? Londonist votes for better skincare, alternative spaces for art, cute little birds and the men who keep them, and concrete. Lots of concrete. Shanghaiist votes for one of the Bee Gees and Air Supply (it's a double-ticket),... more ›

Remember Puppet Government, last year's Frontera Fest success that went on to wow audiences at this past summer's New York International Fringe Festival? The gang's gettin' together one last time at Ventanna Del Sol's upstairs auditorium to raise money for John Courage, a former teacher, vet, and Democractic congressional candidate for Texas' 21st district. From the Puppet Gov folk: John is a honorable, genuine guy, and also very, very smart. And he's not a... more ›

Chris Bell recently received a $5 million donation commitment from Houston lawyer John O'Quinn. That oughta help. But what Bell knows would really help would be for Independent Kinky Friedman to bow out of the race, freeing up thousands of votes for the Democratic candidate. And he called the Jewish Cowboy yesterday to ask him to do just that. We imagine there are quite a few folks voting for Kinky who would normally vote... more ›

The Democratic and Republican primary run-offs are tomorrow, April 11th. If you vote in the run-offs you cannot sign Carole Keeton Strayhorn's or Kinky Friedman's petition. You can find your polling location here. more ›

Rep. Tom DeLay is apparently pulling out of the race for re-election to his House seat. CNN has reported that, just minutes ago, DeLay completed a conference call with the Texas delegation to the House, announcing his plans. In order to field a Republican candidate for the general election, there will be a special election for DeLay's place on the ballot. The Mayor of Sugarland is expected to be one of the candidates running.... more ›

Austin has ranked high, yet again, in one of those polls that make us look so good to the rest of the country. The American Podiatric Medical Association has ranked Austin as the sixth-best city in America for walking. We received our excellent ranking due to the massive UT campus and students necessity for walking, our vibrant downtown (which is getting more vibrant by the day), our excellent parks and the number of residents who like to ride their bikes for exercise. We walk to work every day, and usually walk downtown for shows, etc. so we appreciate the acknowledgement for all of our sweaty work. With SXSW just around the corner, the stumbleabilitywalkability will really be put to the test more ›

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The SWAT standoff off of Riverside yesterday ended in the arrest of a 19-year old who allegedly shot two people overnight-injuries were minor. George W. Bush's visit to India-in hopes of congealing some kind of partnership with the country-is laughable. His next stop is Pakistan where, ironically, he has been deemed as The Most Hated Man. If only we had his confidence, after a 5 year search, Bush insists that Osama Bin Laden will... more ›

*image borrowed from www.trilug.org more ›

It could be argued that money led DeLay to the top of the republican heap, but it seems that money, or the lack thereof, will bring him down in end. DeLay's leadership PAC, Americans for a Republican Political Majority, is in debt. His legal fund is also in trouble with less-than-sufficient amounts to cover the legal expenses that continue to mount. more ›

Laurie Gallardo, KUT's resident music podcaster extraordinaire and one of our favorite personalities in town, is back with another episode of Before the Break, the show that led the Austin Chronicle to dub her one our city's "Sultry New Deejays" in last year's Best of Austin polls. This time she's chatting with What Made Milwaukee Famous: Eklektikos host John Aielli described them as a group immersed within a collection of “intriguing musical palettes.” While... more ›

Scoop Jackson was kind enough to point this out to us: for those of you residing in House District 48, today's your chance to vote for Todd Baxter's replacement in the Texas House. Baxter resigned last Fall, leaving his seat open to four contenders: Republican Ben Bentzin, Libertarian Ben Easton and Democrats Donna Howard and Kathy Rider. A run-off election will be held later if no one candidate receives a strong majority; the winner... more ›

*Photo by Dallas Smith* more ›

Another one of those asinine polls are out that we can all assail as being unscientific, pointless and a waste of our time in a product’s lame attempt to draw interest to its brand by releasing Top-25 polls. But, we’re a blog, you’re bored, people like to bitch, so here it is. Axe body spray (the one that if you wear it your girlfriend’s mom will rape you) has released a poll listing the... more ›

Polls are open today until 7pm. What to bring: more ›