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May 2024
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Texas Counties Deliver – learn how county government serves you

Important Dates & Polling Locations

EV Locations
Election Day Locations

Election Notices / Orders / Sample Ballot
(Click each election for Information over election)

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    • To vote, all registered voters are now required to present an approved form of photo identification in order to vote in all Texas Elections.  More information on acceptable forms of identifications is available.

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    • General Affiliation Questions

      1. How does party affiliation work in Texas?

        In Texas, there are several main ways for a voter to affiliate with a party: by being accepted to vote in a party’s primary election, by taking the required oath at a party precinct convention, or by taking a party oath of affiliation generally (§§162.003, 162.006, 162.007). A voter’s affiliation with a party automatically expires at the end of each calendar year, which is December 31. (§162.010). A voter who has affiliated themselves with a party is ineligible to participate in the party affairs of another party during the same calendar year. (§§162.012, 162.013).

        If a voter has not voted in a party primary or taken an oath of affiliation with a party this calendar year, they have not yet affiliated with any party. If a voter has not yet affiliated with a party, they are able to vote in either party’s primary election. However, if a voter votes in the primary of one party, they will only be able to vote in that party’s primary runoff election. (§§162.012, 162.013). After being affiliated with a party, a voter is not able to change or cancel their party affiliation until the end of the calendar year. (§162.010).

      2. Do I have to register or affiliate with a party before I vote in the primary?

        No. A registered voter is not required to pre-register or take any steps towards affiliating themselves with a party before voting in a party’s primary election. (§162.003). Additionally, when a person registers to vote in Texas, they do not register with any kind of party affiliation.

      3. Does a voter have to vote in the general primary election in order to vote in a primary runoff election?

        No. Section 11.001 of the Texas Election Code prescribes the specific qualifications necessary in order to vote in a Texas election. There is no requirement to have previously voted in the general primary election in order to participate in the subsequent primary runoff election. Therefore, if a qualified voter did not vote in the general primary election, they are still eligible to vote in the primary runoff election.

      4. If I have voted for one party in a prior calendar year, do I have to vote in the same partys primary this year?

        No. A voter’s party affiliation ends at the end of each calendar year. Affiliation with a party in a prior year does not affect what primary an unaffiliated voter can vote in this year. (§162.010).

      5. How can I change my party affiliation?

        After affiliating with a party by voting in a party’s primary or by taking an oath of affiliation with a party, a voter cannot change their party affiliation during the calendar year. (§162.010). However, affiliation will automatically expire at the end of the calendar year.

      6. What if I signed a petition for a candidate for a place on the primary ballot?

        If a voter signed a candidate’s petition for a place on the primary ballot, that voter is only able to vote in the primary, or participate in the convention, of that candidate’s party during the voting year in which the primary election is held. For example, if a voter signed a Democratic candidate’s petition, that voter is ineligible to vote in the Republican primary or participate in a minor party convention. (§172.026).

      7. If I signed a petition for a candidate for nomination in the Libertarian Party or Green Party, can I still vote in a primary election?

        No. If a voter signed a candidate’s petition for nomination for the Libertarian Party or Green Party, that voter is ineligible to vote in a primary election or participate in the convention of a different party during the voting year in which the primary election is held. (§§172.026, 141.041).

      8. If I am not going to be 18 in time for the primary or primary runoff, but will be 18 by the time of the general election, can I vote in the primary?

        No. A voter must have an effective date of registration on or before election day in order to vote in that election. (§11.001). A registration is effective for purposes of early voting if it will be effective on election day. (§13.143). In Texas, the earliest a voter can submit a voter registration application is when they are 17 years and 10 months old. (§13.001). However, this application is not effective until a voter’s 18th birthday. If a voter is not 18 on or before election day, their voter registration will not be effective prior to election day and they will not be able to vote in that election. However, a voter who turns 18 between primary election day and primary runoff election day can register to vote and vote in the primary runoff election.

      9. I voted in the primary election. Why did they ask if I wanted a Republican or Democratic ballot?

        The primary elections are two separate elections that occur on the same day. These elections are the method for both the Republican and Democratic parties to select their nominees for the general election in November. When a voter votes in a primary election or primary runoff election, they are affiliating with the party whose primary they are voting in. (§162.003). A voter who is affiliated with a political party is ineligible to become affiliated with another party during the same voting year. (§162.012). This means a voter cannot vote in both primary elections, or the primary election of one party and the runoff election of another party. Some counties will have joint primaries and/or the parties will share polling places. In a county where the Republican and Democratic parties are sharing polling places, the vote r must identify the primary in which they would like to vote, in order to ensure they receive the correct ballot and are marked as voting in the correct primary election.

      10. Is the fact that I voted in a primary election confidential?

        No. The offices and candidates that you voted for are confidential and secret, but the fact that you voted in a particular party’s primary is public information and your name will be listed in that party’s early voting and election day rosters.

      11. Why did I have to indicate party preference on my Application for a Ballot by Mail?

        Because a voter cannot participate in both parties’ primary elections, a voter must indicate, when voting by mail, their party preference to ensure they receive the correct ballot style.

      12. Does requesting a ballot by mail affiliate me with that party?

        Not immediately. A voter does not become affiliated with a particular party until the early voting clerk receives their voted primary ballot. (§162.003). If a voter requests a certain primary ballot but does not return a voted ballot for that primary election, they will not be affiliated with a party (unless they take other steps to affiliate with a party) .

      13. Can I vote in one party’s primary election and another party’s primary runoff election?

        No. By voting in a party’s primary election, a voter has affiliated themselves with that party and is ineligible to participate in the convention or primary runoff election of another party during that calendar year. (§§162.012, 162.013).

      14. If I vote in a party’s primary, am I required to vote for that party’s candidates in the November general election?

        No. A voter who votes in the primary is not required to vote for a particular party’s candidates in the succeeding general election.

      15. What if I consider myself an independent, but wish to vote in a primary election?

        The act of voting in a primary election affiliates a voter with a political party. (§162.003). However, if a voter has not otherwise affiliated themselves with a political party, they are able to vote in the primary of either party.

       

      Visit the Texas Secretary of State for more information.

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    • What is a Limited Ballot?

      Limited ballots are used when a voter has a Texas registration in a county other than their new county of residence. Voters who wish to vote via a Limited Ballot are only eligible to vote during the Early Voting period at the main Early Voting location. 

      To vote a limited ballot, a voter must:

      • Be eligible to vote in the county of registration if they still lived there;
      • Be registered to vote in the county of former residence at the time the person:
      • Offers to vote in the new county of residence, OR
      • Submitted a voter registration application in the county of new residence and their registration will not be effective in their new county of residence by election day (Sec. 112.002).

      Voters will be required to complete an Application for Limited Ballot. They will NOT be eligible to vote for county or precinct offices.


      What is a Provisional Ballot?

      The 2002 Help America Vote Act required that provisional ballots be offered to any voter that declares that they are a registered and eligible voter of the precinct in which they are appearing and any voter whose eligibility is called into question by an election official, e.g. shown to have voted early by mail. 

      Texas law echoes the federal requirements, but also adds that a voter may vote provisionally if they do not have the required photo identification. 

      Provisional ballots will be offered during both Early Voting and Election Day

      A provisional ballot will be offered to:

       

      • A voter who does not provide an acceptable form of identification.

      • A voter whose name on their identification is not substantially similar to the name on the OLRV.

      • A voter whose identity cannot be verified by the identification presented.

      • A voter who has received a disability exemption, but does not have a voter registration certificate indicating such exemption.

      • A voter whose name does not appear on the list of registered voters and does not have a registration certificate, but states they are a registered and eligible voter of the precinct. 

      • A voter who has applied for a ballot by mail, but has not yet properly cancelled the mail ballot application.

      • A voter who votes during the polling hours that are extended by a state or federal court.

      • A voter who is registered to vote but attempting to vote in a precinct other than the one in which the voter is registered.

      • A voter who is on the precinct list of registered voters, but whose registered residence address is outside the political subdivision for which the voter is seeking to vote. 

       

      A determination whether your ballot will be counted will be made by the Early Voting Ballot Board after the election. A notice will be mailed to you within 30 days of the election at the address you provided on your affidavit to vote a provisional ballot indicating if your vote was counted or not. 

      If you are voting without an acceptable form of ID, in order to have your provisional ballot accepted, you will be required to visit the election's office within six days of the date of the election to either present one of the acceptable forms of Photo ID or if you do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of the below forms of photo ID, execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present one of the below forms of supporting ID OR submit one of the temporary forms addressed below (e.g., religious objection or natural disaster exemption) in the presence of the county voter registrar OR submit the paperwork required to obtain a permanent disability exemption. 

      Reasonable Impediment Declaration: If you do not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo identification listed above, and cannot reasonably obtain such identification, you may execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present a copy or original of one of the following supporting documents: (1) a government document that shows your name and an address, including your voter registration certificate; (2) current utility bill; (3) bank statement; (4) government check; (5) paycheck; or (6) (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 your identity (which may include a foreign birth document). The address on an acceptable photo identification or a supporting document does not have to match your address on the list of registered voters.

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    • If you need assistance at the polls, tell the election official if you are a voter who needs help to vote. You do not have to provide proof of your disability. Voters are entitled to receive assistance if they: 
      • Cannot read or write; or
      • Have a physical disability that prevents them from reading or marking the ballot; or
      • Cannot speak English, or communicate only with sign language, and want assistance in communicating with election officials.

      Voters may be assisted by:

      • Any person the voter chooses who is not an election worker;
      • Two election workers on Election Day; or
      • One election worker during early voting.

      Voters MAY NOT be assisted by:

      • Their employer;
      • An agent of their employer; or
      • An officer or agent of their union.

      The person assisting the voter must read him or her the entire ballot, unless the voter asks to have only parts of the ballot read. The person assisting the voter must take an oath that he or she will not try to influence the voter’s vote and will mark the ballot as the voter directs. If the voter chooses to be assisted by polling place officials, poll watchers and election inspectors may observe the voting process, but if the voter asks to be assisted by a person the voter chooses, no one else may watch him or her vote.

      It is illegal for a person assisting the voter to:

      • Try to influence the voter’s vote;
      • Mark the voter’s ballot in a way other than the way they have asked; or
      • Tell anyone how the voter voted.

      Voters May Use Interpreters at the Polls

      Voters who cannot speak English, or who communicate only with sign language, may use an interpreter to help them communicate with election officials, regardless of whether the election official(s) attending to the voter can speak the same language as the voter. The voter may select any person other than the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an officer or agent of a labor union to which the voter belongs. If the voter cannot read the languages on the ballot, the interpreter may also act as an assistant for the voter, but they must follow the procedures for an assistant. (See assistance section above for more details.) If the voter is deaf and does not have a sign language interpreter who can accompany them to help communicate with the poll worker or read the ballot, the voter should contact his or her local election officials before the election and request assistance.

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    • The 100-Foot Marker

      When you go to your polling place, you will likely notice a cone or other distance marker placed 100 feet from the entrance of the building. Inside that 100 foot mark, you are not allowed to post, use or distribute any political signs or literature relating to a candidate, political party or measure appearing on your ballot in that election.

      Cell Phones and Other Devices

      Under Texas law, persons are not allowed to use wireless communications devices within 100 feet of voting stations. Additionally, persons are not allowed to use mechanical or electronic devices to record sound or images within 100 feet of the voting stations.

      Devices that should not be used in the polling place include:

      • Cell phones
      • Cameras
      • Tablet computers
      • Laptop computers
      • Sound recorders
      • Any other device that may communicate wirelessly, or be used to record sound or images.

      What can’t I wear to the polls?

      In Texas, a person may not wear apparel or a similar communicative device relating to a candidate, measure, or political party appearing on the ballot in the current election, but a person may wear such apparel relating to a candidate, measure, or political party that does NOT appear on the ballot in the current election.

      In other words, if you are wearing a hat, t-shirt, or button relating to a candidate, measure or political party that does not appear on the ballot in the current election, you are not violating Texas law.

      However, if you are wearing apparel relating to a candidate, measure, or political party on the ballot, 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.

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    • This service is available to any voter who has difficulty walking or standing for long periods.  If you have an assistant with you, when you arrive at the polling location, have them notify the election official. The election official will then bring your ballot to your car outside the polling location. If you do not have an assistant, please call the indicated number at curbside or follow the procedures posted at the polling location. 

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