From The Texas Newsroom:
Texas has added nearly 2 million people to its voter rolls since the 2018 midterm elections. But new or unregistered Texans only have until Tuesday to add their names to the list to be able to vote in next month’s general election.
Voting in Texas is county-based, so officials with the Texas Secretary of State are urging unregistered Texans to make sure to send registration forms to their local offices. The good news is that applications only need to be postmarked by Tuesday to qualify, even if they are processed later.
As of Thursday, about 17.6 million Texans were registered to vote, according to the Texas Secretary of State. That’s compared to about 15.8 million that were registered during the 2018 midterms.
Sam Taylor, the assistant secretary of state for communications at the Texas Secretary of State, attributed the increase, in part, to the large number of new Texans that have moved to the state in the last four years and a general increase in voter participation since 2016.
The highlights on the November ballot include the statewide gubernatorial contest between incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and his challenger, Beto O’Rourke; and the Texas attorney general matchup between incumbent Ken Paxton and his Democratic challenger, Rochelle Garza. Texas’ state house and U.S. House incumbents are also on the ballot in local races as their terms are served two years at a time.
Here’s what you need to know to register to vote:
Are you eligible to vote in Texas?
You can register to vote in Texas if you:
– are a U.S. citizen
– are a resident of the county where you submit the registration application
– will be at least 18 on Election Day
– are not a convicted felon (though you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation and parole)
– have not been declared mentally incapacitated by a court of law
Are you already registered to vote?
You can check if you’re already registered by going to this link on the Texas Secretary of State website. Make sure information like your name and address is correct. If not, update it.
Have you moved?
You must be registered to vote in the county where you live.
If you moved since the last time you registered, you’ll need to update your information. If you are still in the same county as before, you can update the information here. If you’re now living in a new county, you’ll have to register to vote there.
How to get an application
You can register to vote by mailing an application or submitting it in person.
You can download a registration application online here. You’ll fill out the information, print it and sign it. You can also request a printed application be mailed to you here. Once the application is filled out, mail it to your county’s election office. The application must be postmarked by the Oct. 11 deadline.
You can also visit the voter registrar’s office in your county to complete the registration process in person.
Texas election & early voting dates
– Early voting starts Oct. 24
– Last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Oct. 28
– Early voting ends Nov. 4
– Election Day is Nov. 8
