One of the things that’s guaranteed to you as a citizen of the United States is that you’ll have a say in who represents you on the federal, state, and local levels.
Here’s how that process works in The Lone Star State:
Requirements
Besides being a US citizen, in order to register to vote in Texas, you must be a resident of the county in which the application for registration is made. You must also be 17 years and 10 months of age to register and 18 to actually vote.
If you are a convicted felon, you can only vote if you have fully discharged your punishment, meaning you have completed any incarceration, parole, supervision, or period of probation.
You are not eligible to vote if you have been declared mentally incompetent by a court of law.
Registration Information
To check your voter registration status and verify your information, click here.
If it’s your first time voting in Texas, you can click here to fill out a registration form, but you cannot submit it online. You must print the document, sign it, and mail the application to your local elected official. Click here to find yours.
When registering to vote in Texas, you’ll have to provide your Texas driver’s license number. If you do not have a driver’s license, you will have to provide at least the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have neither, you must write “NONE” on the form; a unique identifying number will be assigned to you by the state of Texas.
It’s also worth noting that Texas does not require you to register with a party to participate in partisan primary elections. You are also not required to specify your race or ethnic group.
If you wish to vote by mail in Texas, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- be 65 years or older;
- be sick or disabled;
- be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting;
- be expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day; or
- be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.
If you need help registering to vote, nonprofits such as Turbovote can assist you. They can also start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more. Your local election office can answer any questions you have about the voting process, as well.
If you have questions regarding election security, or are concerned about voter intimidation, you should contact the Secretary of State.
It’s important to note that Texas does not offer same-day voter registration on Election Day.
To find your polling place, click here.
Important Things To Note
Under state law, voters must bring one of the seven acceptable forms of photo ID when voting in person. Valid forms of identification include:
- Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
- Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
- Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
- United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
- United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
- United States Passport (book or card)
If you do not have one of the above forms of identification, you’ll have to fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration (RID) at the polls and bring an alternative form of ID such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check, or a voter registration certificate.
How To Vote if You’re in the Military, or Live Overseas
If you’re active-duty military, a family member of an active-duty military member, or a US citizen living outside of the country, you can register to vote using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). You can also download a copy and mail it to your local election office.
Once you receive your ballot, mail it back as soon as possible. Absentee ballots can begin being mailed 45 days before any Election Day.
If you don’t receive your ballot by 30 days before a given Election Day, you should contact your home county election office. Then, you should fill out the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) and mail it to your home county election office.
If you are an active duty military member or a US citizen living overseas and are looking for additional assistance, can visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or email [email protected].
