Early voting in Texas started on Monday, Oct. 21 and will run through Nov. 1. If you want to vote before Nov. 5 Election Day be sure to read our guide to early voting in the state.
What do I need to vote early?
Anyone who is registered to vote can vote early in Texas. According to Kxan, more than 18.4 million Texans are currently registered to vote.You can check whether you’re registered to vote at the VoteTexas.gov website, however, if you’re not registered you can’t vote this election cycle, as the deadline was Oct. 7.
To vote, you’ll need to bring one of the seven accepted identifications at the polling stations. These documents are a Texas Driver’s license, a Texas Election Identification Certificate, state Personal Identification Card, a handgun license, a U.S. Military ID, a U.S. citizenship certificate or a passport.
Where can I vote early?
Generally, you will have the opportunity to vote early in any voting location in your county of registration. You can check where you can vote early on the site Am I Registered? In addition, you can contact the Early Voting Clerk for State and County Elections in your county.
Generally, early voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but this may vary depending on the day and location.
How do I vote by mail?
To vote by mail you should request an application from your county clerk or an application online at the Texas secretary of state website. The deadline to request a mail ballot is Oct. 25.
To be eligible to request a mail ballot you must be 65 years old or older, have an eligible disability, expected to give birth within three weeks of Election Day or expected to be out of the county during the voting period.
What other things should I know before voting early?
Phones are not allowed in the voting booth, so if you have information you might want to remember when voting, be sure to bring hand-written notes.
You also have the right to ask for assistance if you cannot write or understand the language in which the ballot is written, or you can bring an interpreter to assist you.
In addition, you have the right to receive up to two more ballots if you make a mistake while marking the ballot.