Inaccessible Amenities: The Effects of Gentrification on Voter Suppression in Austin

Austin, Tx has a large history contributing to the segregation of marginalized identities. This trend has led to the structure of the city as it stands today, with many people of color concentrated moreover to the East and South of the city, while rich white individuals tend to live on the West side and the North. Nevertheless, currently with the rise in popularity of gentrification comes another large issue with the displacement of these marginalized people, who tend to be of low income, from their neighborhoods as rent increases and spaces become less recognizable to these incumbents. This work specifically looks to analyze the effects of gentrification in Austin upon these marginalized incumbents, and the new residents who have taken their place, in terms of Voter Suppression by addressing the differences in accessibility of polling locations via Metro in relation to the historic and current demographics of individuals of each Austin City District.