Monday is the deadline to register to vote in Texas for the November 4 general election. This November, voters will decide on a number of state measures spanning from property tax exemption, to creating a Dementia Prevention Research Institute to creating an endowment for Texas State Technical College.
In Central Texas, some voters will decide on city council positions, school tax rates, and more.
Sample ballots are available online. You can check your McLennan County sample ballot here.
You can check to see if you're registered to vote here. If you're not, here's what you need to know.
What do I need to do to vote?
You must be registered by Monday, October 6 in the county you live in to vote in the November 4 election.
To be eligible to register, you must:
- be a U.S. citizen
- be a resident of the county you are applying to vote in
- be at least 18 years old by Election Day
- not have been declared mentally incapacitated by a court
- not be a convicted felon (though you may be eligible if you were pardoned or completed your sentence, probation and parole)
In Texas, you cannot register to vote online — unless you are renewing, replacing or updating your Texas driver's license or ID on the Department of Public Safety website.
You can submit a voter registration application by mail. Just fill out this form, print, sign and mail it to the McLennan County Elections office. Your application must be postmarked by Monday, October 6 for the November 4 election.
To make sure you are registered before the deadline, McLennan County Elections Administrator Jared Goldsmith recommends visiting the office in person to submit your application. The McLennan County Elections Administration Office is located at 214 N. 4th Street, Suite 300.
You can find their mailing address and a voter registration application here.
Do I need to renew my voter registration?
If you've changed your name or moved within Texas — especially if you've moved to a different county — you can update your voter registration information online. You can also submit an updated physical application before the deadline.
What kind of ID will I need to register or vote?
To register to vote, you can use your Texas driver's license or Texas personal ID number issued by DPS. If you don’t have either of those, you can use the last four digits of your Social Security number.
When you head to the polls, you will need to present one of these valid forms of photo ID:
- Texas driver's license (DPS issued)
- Texas election identification certificate (DPS issued)
- Texas personal ID card (DPS issued)
- Texas handgun license (DPS issued)
- U.S. military photo ID
- U.S. citizenship certificate with photo
- U.S. passport (book or card)
You can still use your ID to vote if it expired within the last four years. If you are 70 or older, you can use it regardless of when it expired.
If you couldn’t get one of the above forms of ID, you can use a supporting form of identification like a bank statement or utility bill. But you must sign a document saying you had a reasonable impediment to getting a valid photo ID — like lack of transportation, work schedule, illness or family responsibilities.
Can I vote by mail?
Texas only allows mail-in voting for specific groups, including people 65 and older and those who are sick or disabled. The state has also implemented stricter ID requirements, and thousands of Texans who voted in the March primaries saw their mail-in ballots rejected under the new rules. You can check to see if you’re eligible, and apply for a mail-in ballot, on the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You can also track the status of your mail-in ballot online.
Important dates
- Monday, October 6 — Deadline to register to vote or update your address
- Monday, October 20 — In-person early voting begins
- Friday, October 24 — Deadline to apply for a ballot by mail
- Friday, October 23 — In-Person early voting ends
- Tuesday, November 4 — Election Day
Got a tip? Email Molly-Jo Tilton at Molly-jo_tilton@baylor.edu.
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