VOTING IN EAST TEXAS 411
Table of Contents
Find Your Sample Ballot Here
Finding your most up-to-date ballot on outdated websites can be a hassle. If you cannot view it on the link below for the upcoming election, please call or visit your county’s election office and they are required to make one accessible to you prior to election day.
Where do I go vote?
(Voting by precinct)
(Countywide voting)
(Countywide voting)
Did You Know?
Texas currently allows counties to apply to a pilot program through the state to participate in countywide polling. Countywide polling means any citizen can vote at ANY poll site on Election Day.
Moving this program away from a pilot program to allow all counties to adopt countywide polling would expand the use of this cost-saving and convenient election policy. It gives voters a choice of their polling location based on individual needs. Voters would be able to vote at any polling location in their county, whether it’s the location closest to their job, on campus, or on their way to pick up kids from school.
In Person Voting 411
Voting for the first time in East Texas can be intimidating, but we are here to empower and equip you with the tools necessary in order for you to walk into your polling locations with confidence.
Right off the back, know that you CAN take your voter guide and/or notes in with you but you are NOT allowed to use wireless communications devices within 100 feet of voting stations.
Required Forms of Identification for Voting In Person
You can cast a regular ballot if you present one of the following IDs.
Your ID must be unexpired or expired up to 4 years.
It can be expired for any amount of time if you are 70 or older:
- Texas Driver’s License
- Texas Personal ID Card
- Handgun License
- Military ID Card
- US Passport (book or card)
- US Citizenship Certificate (does not expire)
Did You Know?
If you do not have one of the photo IDs listed above, you can cast a regular ballot if you present a supporting form of ID:
- Voter registration certificate, or
- Certified US (including territory) birth certificate, or
- Current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck (must show your name and ANY address) or
- Government check (must show your name and ANY address) or
- Any other government document showing your name and ANY address (examples: an out-of-state license, a government employee ID)
AND
Complete and sign a “Reasonable Impediment Declaration” form.*
* A reasonable impediment is a valid reason that is beyond your control and creates an obstacle to getting an acceptable photo ID.
In Texas, that includes: lack of transportation, lack of birth certificate (or other necessary documents) , disability or illness, conflict with your work schedule, family responsibilities, acceptable ID lost or stolen, you have applied for an acceptable form of photo ID but have not yet received it. In addition, an election officer is not allowed to question the reasonableness of your impediment to getting an ID.
If you are a registered voter and do not have a photo ID that is acceptable for voting, you may apply for a free Texas Election ID Certificate. To qualify for an Election ID Certificate, you must:
- Provide documentation to verify your US Citizenship
- Provide documentation to verify your identity
- Be eligible to vote in Texas (provide a valid voter registration card or submit a voter registration application)
- Be a Texas resident
- Be 17 years and 10 months or older
Side note: Voters unable to enter a polling location can also request curbside voting, but they may want to call and give the election officials a heads-up.
Voters can also choose an individual to help them with interpretation and completing their ballot at the polls. This can be a family member, friend or someone else, as long as the person is not the voter’s employer or a representative of their union.
Did You Know?
Vote by Mail/ Absentee Ballot 411
Voting by mail is an option for Texas Voters if they meet the following criteria below.
Qualifications to Vote by mail/ cast an absentee ballot if
- You will be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting hours
- You are sick or have a disability
- You will be 65 years of age or older on Election Day
- You are confined in jail, but eligible to vote
- You are expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
Side note: In Texas, you must include your Texas state ID or Driver’s license number and/or the last four of your social security when you apply for your early voting ballot.
Provisional Ballot 411
Provisional ballots are used to ensure that all voters are able to cast a ballot even if voter eligibility is uncertain at the time they vote. Voters can mark a provisional ballot, and election workers set it aside until eligibility is verified at a later time. You claim to be an eligible voter, but your name does not appear on the list of registered voters, and your registration cannot be determined by the voter registrar.
Eligibility to cast a Provisional ballot if:
- You have applied for a ballot by mail, but have not returned it or canceled it
- You vote during extended polling hours ordered by a state or federal court
- You do not present any acceptable form of identification (read below)
Side Note: If you claim to be registered, but your name is not on the list of registered voters, the presiding election judge will call the voter registrar to determine if you are registered. If registration can be confirmed and you can show identification, you may vote a regular ballot or be directed to the correct precinct if you are in the wrong precinct.
If you vote a provisional ballot, be sure to bring your acceptable form of ID to your local voter registrar’s office within six calendar days after the election so that your provisional ballot is counted. Provisional voters will receive a notice in the mail by the 10th day after the election letting them know if their provisional ballots were counted and if they were not counted, the reasons why.
