Early Voting in Texas Has Started!

Here’s what you need to know!

Make Sure You Are Registered!

Check your registration status online at the Texas Secretary of State’s MY VOTER PORTAL website. There are 3 options for looking up your status, including name & drivers license number or name, county, and date of birth. Once you verify you are registered, you can click on the upcoming election link to find your county’s early voting and election day voting locations.

It is too late to register for this election, but if you are not registered, go ahead and head over to the registration application so you will be ready for the next election!

Bring Your IDs

Early voting is available from October 24th to October 30th. You can find your voting locations and the days and hours they are open at MY VOTER PORTAL. Once you have verified your registration and chosen a site, you will need to bring some identification with you.

Acceptable Identification

MUST BE CURRENT OR NOT EXPIRED MORE THAN 4 YEARS

DPS-issued Texas Driver’s License
DPS-issued Texas Election ID Certificate
DPS-issued Texas Personal ID Card
DPS-issued Texas Handgun License
US Military ID with Photo
US Citizenship Certificate with Photo (doesn’t need to be current)
US Passport

If you don’t have one of these, there are still options!

If you are unable to show one of the photo IDs listed above, you can still cast a ballot! You will need one of the documents below and you will be required to sign a document verifying you have a reasonable impediment to getting the document such as lack of transportation, a disability or illness, or the lack of supporting documents to obtain the ID.

any government issued document with the voter’s name and address
a current utility bill
an original bank statement
a government check (copy or original)
a paycheck (copy or original)
a certified birth certificate

If you do not qualify for a reasonable impediment ID, you can still cast a ballot!

You can request a provisional ballot, which you can cast that day. However, you will need to bring to bring acceptable form of ID to your county voter registrar’s office within 6 days of casting your ballot for your vote to count!

Know What You Want

There are multiple ways to research your candidates before you enter the booth. Remember, you will not be able to use your phone in the booth, so write down or print out your plan ahead of time.

The best way to get information about who will be on your ballot is to check your county’s election site. Here are some of the links for the counties around Tarrant:

If you are unable to find your county’s sample ballots, you can also check out VOTE411 where you can put in your address and get a list of your candidates. Sometimes smaller elections are missed on this site, so it is best to use your county’s resources where possible.

What’s Your Strategy?

You may choose to vote one party all the way down the ticket. But, if you want to make sure candidates’ values align with yours. Vote ProChoice and NARAL Pro-Choice America are both good places to start if you want to find candidates that will support the reproductive rights of pregnant people, but you might need to do a little legwork for more local elections. Most candidates have a website or social media account you can check out Ballotpedia to help you find this information for most candidates.

Whoever you choose for each race, make sure you bring your plan with you in paper form. Print it out or write it out so you will be able to refer to it when you are in the booth.

What to Expect

When you arrive at your polling location, there may be a line. As long as you get in line before closing time, you will be able to vote. Don’t leave the line. You are not allowed to wear apparel, carry signs, or distribute literature related to a candidate, party, or measure that is on the ballot within 100 feet of the polls. You are also not allowed to use any mechanical or electronic devices to record sound or images within 100 feet.

There are different balloting systems in different counties throughout the state. You may have an electronic system or a paper ballot. It is important, regardless of what system you are using, to go back and verify that each of your choices are correctly marked before you actually submit the ballot. You can find out more about the various voting systems at the VoteTexas.gov website.

If you experience any problems with casting your ballot, discuss the issue with a poll worker immediately. You can also contact your local election official or call (800) 252-8683 to discuss the problem with Texas’s Secretary of State.