A.  Only specific reasons entitle a registered voter to vote early by mail (no longer called absentee voting). You may request a ballot by mail if you:

1. will be away from your county on Election Day and during the hours that early voting is conducted;

2. are sick or disabled; (as defined in Texas Election Code 82.002(a))

3. Expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day;

4. are 65 years of age or older on Election Day; or

5. are confined in jail or Involuntary Civil Commitment

A.  First, request an Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) from the Early Voting Clerk in the political subdivision conducting your election, or from our office. You may also print an ABBM directly from our website (PDF), (Spanish version (PDF). Once received, read the instructions carefully, complete the ABBM form and return it to the Early Voting Clerk.

For the March 5, 2024 Primary Election date, the last day for the early voting clerk to receive applications for a ballot to be voted by mail is February 23, 2024, in order for you to receive a ballot by mail. All applications to vote by mail must be received by the early voting clerk before the close of regular business or 12 noon, whichever is later. Please note that different deadlines apply to the last day to receive ballots sent by the following: (1) Non-military and military voters who mailed ballots domestically and submitted an ABBM; (2) Non-military and military voters who mailed ballots from overseas and who submitted an ABBM; (3) Non-military voters who mailed ballots from overseas and who submitted a Federal Postcard Application (“FPCA”); and (4) Military voters who mailed ballots domestically or from overseas and who submitted a FPCA.

• The deadline to receive ballots mailed within the United States from non-military and military voters who submitted an Application for Ballot by Mail (“ABBM”) is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The carrier envelope must have a postmark showing it was in the mail by 7:00p.m. on March 5, 2024. 

• The deadline to receive ballots mailed from non-military and military voters who mailed ballots from overseas and who submitted an Application for Ballot by Mail (“ABBM”) is Monday, March 11, 2024. The carrier envelope must have a postmark showing it was in the mail by 7:00p.m. on March 5, 2024. 

• The deadline to receive ballots mailed from non-military voters who mailed ballots from overseas and who submitted a Federal Post Card Application (“FPCA”) is Monday, March 11, 2024. The carrier envelope must have a postmark showing it was in the mail by 7:00 p.m. on March 5, 2024. 

• The deadline to receive ballots mailed from military voters who mailed ballots domestically or from overseas and who submitted a Federal Post Card Application (“FPCA”) is Monday, March 11, 2024. The carrier envelope does not need

• Learn more about the ABBM process and to request an ABBM from our office (or print one directly from the web)

A. If you moved to a new location, you must file the new address information in writing with your voter registrar OR you may submit the change online. The last day to make a change of address that will be effective for the March 5, 2024 Election is February 5, 2024. If you missed this deadline, you may return to your old precinct to vote, if you still live in the political subdivision holding the election.

• Addresses and phone numbers of Voter Registrars

LIMITED BALLOT OPTION: If you have moved to a new county and have not re-registered in the new county by the February 5, 2024 deadline, you may be eligible to vote a limited ballot in your new county. A limited ballot means that you would be allowed to vote on any candidates and measures in common between your former and new county. This procedure is only available during the early voting period at the main early voting polling place; you may NOT vote a limited ballot on election day. You must be a current registered voter in your former county in order to qualify OR you must have been registered in your old county at the time you submitted a voter registration application in your new county, if you have done so. For full information on this procedure (including the by-mail option, if qualified to vote by mail), visit the Early Voting page. If you feel you qualify to vote a limited ballot, we recommend that you contact the office of the Early Voting Clerk in your new county.

A.  You can check the status of your voter registration, where you will select one of three methods for conducting your search. You can base your search on: 1. your Voter Unique Identifier (VUID), which appears on your voter registration certificate; 2. your Texas driver's license number, if you provided it when you applied for voter registration; or 3. your first and last name. Or, you can call the voter registrar’s office in the county where you reside.

New certificates are mailed out every two years to the most recent address you gave to the voter registrar. If you did not receive a new blue and white certificate in 2022, it could mean that you have moved without updating, or there is some other problem with your registration. If the certificate was mailed to an old address, it would have been returned to the registrar as the certificate is not forward-able mail, and you would have been placed on the "suspense list" in that county. This means you have a grace period that allows you to vote in the same county in your old precinct, but if you do not vote, your name will be removed from the rolls after two federal elections have passed since you were placed on the suspense list. If you did not receive your certificate because you moved to a new Texas county, you will need to re-register.

A.  While you do not need to bring your voter registration certificate with you to vote, we highly recommend that you have it with you at the polling place. In some situations, having your voter registration certificate will allow you to vote a regular ballot instead of a provisional ballot. For example, if you do not possess one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of photo identification, and you cannot reasonably obtain one, you can use your valid voter registration certificate as a form of supporting identification when you execute your Reasonable Impediment Declaration, and vote a regular ballot. As another example, if your name does not appear on the official list of registered voters in the precinct, you may be able to cast a regular ballot by presenting your valid voter registration certificate along with an acceptable form of photo identification. In addition, for example, if you do not possess one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of identification, and you cannot reasonably obtain one, and your name is not on the official list of registered voters in the precinct, you may be able to cast a regular ballot by presenting your valid voter registration certificate and executing a Reasonable Impediment Declaration.

Please note that you may contact your county voter registrar’s office to obtain a replacement registration certificate.

A.  When a voter arrives at a polling location, the voter will be asked to present one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of photo ID (listed below). If a voter does not possess an acceptable form of photo identification and cannot reasonably obtain one, the voter may present a supporting form of ID and execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration, noting the voter’s reasonable impediment to obtaining an acceptable form of photo identification, stating that the information contained in the declaration is true, that the voter is the same individual personally appearing at the polling place to sign the declaration, and that the voter faces a reasonable impediment to procuring an acceptable form of photo identification. If a voter has continued access to their acceptable form of photo ID, but, for example, forgets to bring their acceptable form of approved photo ID to the polling place and/or left it, for example, at home or in their car, the voter still possesses the acceptable photo ID and must use it to vote.

Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:

• 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)

With the exception of the U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which does not expire, for voters aged 18-69, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired no more than four years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place. For voters aged 70 or older, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise valid.

Here is a list of the supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter does not possess an acceptable form of photo identification, and cannot reasonably obtain one:

• copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate;

• copy of or original current utility bill;

• copy of or original bank statement;

• copy of or original government check;

• copy of or original paycheck; or

• copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document).

A.  If a voter has continued access to their acceptable form of photo ID, but, for example, forgets to bring their acceptable form of approved photo ID to the polling place and/or left it, for example, at home or in their car, the voter still possesses the acceptable photo ID and must use it to vote. Accordingly, if you possess, but did not bring to the polling place, one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of photo identification with you when you vote in person, you may cast a “provisional ballot” at the polling location instead of a regular ballot, or you may return to the polling place before the polls close on Election Day with your acceptable form of photo identification and vote a regular ballot at that time. In order to have the provisional ballot counted in the election, you will have to visit the county voter registrar’s office by the sixth calendar day after Election Day. At the county voter registrar’s office, you will have to show one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of photo identification listed above, or, if you qualify, submit a natural disaster temporary affidavit referenced above. If you present a proper form of photo identification or submit the natural disaster temporary affidavit, the provisional ballot will be counted.

A.  With the exception of the U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which does not expire, for voters aged 18-69, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired no more than four years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place. For voters aged 70 or older, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise valid.

A.  No. There is no address matching requirement.

A. Election Identification Certificates are available from all DPS driver license offices during regular business hours. Information regarding how to obtain an election identification certificate can be found on the DPS website. You may also contact DPS by telephone at (512) 424-2600 for more information.

The law requires that each polling place must designate a parking space for curbside voting. Please keep in mind that there will be only one curbside parking space. The space must be clearly marked with a sign that indicates that the space is reserved for curbside voting. 

Handicap spaces that are NOT MARKED AS CURBSIDE VOTING can not be used for curbside voting. Only vehicles that are in the curbside voting space can be voted.

The sign should display a telephone number that a voter may call or text to request assistance from an election officer. Some polling locations may provide a button or an intercom that a voter can use to request assistance. Generally speaking, you may vote curbside during the early voting period (the 17th day before Election Day until the 4th day before Election Day for most elections) or on Election Day. For a May uniform election date or resulting runoff election or some special elections, the early voting period is the 12th day before Election Day until the 4th day before Election Day.

If a voter is physically unable to enter the polling place, he or she may ask that an election officer bring a ballot to the entrance of the polling place or to a car parked at the curbside. After the voter marks the ballot, they will give it to the election officer, who will put it in the ballot box. Or, at the voter’s request, a companion may hand the voter a ballot and deposit it for him or her.

If you plan to go alone to vote curbside, it is wise to call ahead so election officials will expect you. Generally speaking, you may vote curbside during the early voting period or on Election Day.

For more information on voting options for Texans with disabilities, visit the Voters with Disabilities section.

In Texas, a person may not wear apparel or a similar communicative device relating to a candidate, measure, or political party.

If you are wearing apparel relating to a candidate, measure, or political party , a presiding judge has the ability to enforce the law within the 100-foot marker outside of the polling place entrance. You may be asked to remove or cover up your apparel before entering the building.

Provisional voting is designed to allow a voter whose name does not appear on the list of registered voters due to an administrative error to vote. The provisional voting process involves an affidavit that (1) the voter must complete stating the reasons he or she is qualified to vote; and (2) is used if the voter’s registration cannot be verified by the polling place election officials OR if a voter (a) does not possess one of the acceptable forms of photo identification listed above, and a voter can reasonably obtain one of these forms of identification or (b) possesses, but did not bring to the polling place, one of the seven forms of acceptable photo identification listed above, or (c) does not possess one of the seven forms of acceptable photo identification, could otherwise not reasonably obtain one, but did not bring a supporting form of identification to the polling place.

The provisional voting process requires the voter to visit the voter registrar’s office within six (6) calendar days of the date of the election to either present one of the above seven (7) acceptable forms of photo ID OR if the voter does not possess, and cannot reasonably obtain an acceptable form of photo identification, execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present one of the acceptable forms of supporting ID, OR, if applicable, submit one of the temporary affidavits (e.g., religious objection or natural disaster) OR, if applicable, qualify for a permanent disability exemption, in order for the provisional ballot to count.

The voter-marked provisional ballots are kept separately from the regular ballots, and the voter’s records will be reviewed by the provisional voting ballot board (the early voting ballot board), to determine if the ballot is to be counted or rejected. If applicable, the voter registrar will conduct whatever research is necessary to determine whether the voter is or should have been registered in the precinct in which the voter cast the provisional ballot and will pass this information on to the ballot board to assist it in making the decision of whether the provisional ballot must be counted. Provisional voters will receive a notice in the mail by the 10th day after the local canvass advising them if their provisional ballots were counted, and if they were not counted, the reason why.

Student voters often seek advice regarding residency issues for voter registration purposes. Information regarding student residency issues is available on this website.