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Elections FAQ

Was my voter registration “purged”?

How can I determine if I’m registered to vote?

You can check your voter registration status here. You need a combination of (1) your Voter ID number or Texas Driver’s License number with date of birth, or (2) your name, county of residence, and date of birth.

How do I register?

You can fill out a registration application online, but an original application with signature must still be mailed to your local county voter registrar.

You can also call the statewide Voter Registration Office at 210-335-VOTE (8683) and request a voter registration application. You may also find voter registration applications at libraries, government offices, high schools, or with volunteer voter registration deputies.

When is the deadline to register?

Turn in your application by April 3. Get an application online here.

I just moved. Do I need to re-register?

If you moved to a different county, yes. If you moved to a different address within the same county, no, but you should update your address online. You can also get a new voter registration application, make note of your new address, and mail it to the Voter Registration Office.

How are voter registration applications reviewed?

When a person submits a voter registration application, county and state officials verify the person’s eligibility using various sources, including birth and death certificates. Local election officials ensure the submitted address is a residential location within the county. Registered voters are sent a registration certificate within 30 days. Voters receive a new certificate if they update their name or address. Otherwise, voters are sent a new certificate every two years.

What does it mean if my voter registration is in “suspense”?

If a county voter registrar receives a non-deliverable notice after sending a voter registration certificate or receives information that there’s been an address change, a voter is placed on the state’s “suspense list” and asked to confirm their address. Sometimes this can be due to errors at the post office or when a jury summons doesn’t go to the proper address and is returned.

Voters on the suspense list can still vote if they update or confirm their address before the voter registration deadline or fill out a “statement of residence” when voting. But if they have moved to a different county or precinct, they may have to vote at their previous polling location or vote a limited ballot.

If a suspended voter takes no action, they are removed from the voter rolls after about four years. When voting in a presidential election year, it’s a good idea to double check your voter registration status if it’s been a while since you last voted.

What do I do if I run into issues with my voter registration?

Contact your county’s voter registrar here. If you believe you should be registered but don’t appear on the voter registration list at the polls, you can cast a provisional ballot. There’s no guarantee that a provisional ballot will ultimately be counted. The best bet to ensure you don’t have problems is verifying your registration is active and up-to-date ahead of the registration deadline.

What happens to a provisional ballot?

Your local voter registrar must review the provisional ballot and verify your registration within six days of the election. The registrar then passes that information to the local ballot board, which decides whether the provisional ballot is eligible to be counted. Provisional voters must be sent a notice about whether their ballot was counted no later than 10 days after the election.

When does early voting begin?

Early voting starts April 22 and runs through April 29. Your county’s website will provide exact days and times.

When is Election Day?

Election Day is May 3. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

What do I need to bring with me to vote?

You need to provide one of the following seven forms of identification:

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 your photograph

United States Citizenship Certificate containing your photograph

United States Passport (book or card)

If you don’t have one of the seven forms of identification listed above and can’t reasonably get one, you can also bring one of these:

  • A copy or original of a government document that shows your name and an address, including your voter registration certificate
  • A copy of or original current utility bill
  • A copy of or original bank statement
  • A copy of or original
  • Day government check
  • A copy of or original paycheck
  • A 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 your identity, which may include a foreign birth document.

Where can I vote?

See the County’s website.

What about absentee ballots?

  • Get an application for ballot by mail here. You can vote by mail if you are:
  • Going to be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting
  • Sick or disabled
  • 65 years of age or older on Election Day
  • Confined in jail, but eligible to vote
  • Mothers expecting a baby 3 weeks before or after Election

Have more questions?

Check out VoteTexas.gov. Or ask us, and we’ll find an answer for you.