Everything you need to know about voting in Texas: Registration, voter ID and more

Whether you just moved to Texas or have lived here your whole life and just turned 18, it’s important to do what you can to use your right to vote.

Voting in Texas may be different than in other states. It requires voter identification and there are certain restrictions in place for registration and voting by mail. Texas ranks as the 48th state in the country in terms of voting accessibility, according to the Cost of Voting Index, a 2024 nonpartisan academic study.

Here’s everything you need to know about voting in Texas:

You are eligible if you are a U.S. citizen, a resident of the county where you submit your registration application, are not a convicted felon and are at least 18 years old.

Those who are not yet 18, but will be on Election Day are also eligible to register.

To register, you must complete a voter registration application and return it to your county election office by the 30th day before an upcoming election, according to the state’s website. You may fill out the application online, but you need to then print and sign it before mailing the completed form to the county elections office. 

You may also request a printed application which will be mailed to you. You can go in person to a local voter registrar to complete the process. The Dallas County election department is at 1520 Round Table Dr. in Dallas, near Love Field Airport. You can find addresses and contact information for other counties online.

If you already have a Texas driver’s license or state ID card, you may also register to vote online when you renew, replace or update it through the Texas Department of Public Safety.

If you are already registered but recently moved or changed your name, you can update your registration online at Texas.gov using your current ID, your social security number and voter registration card voter unique identifier (VUID) number. You can find the VUID from your county voter registrar.

If you are unsure if you’re registered, you can check on the Secretary of State’s online voter portal.

Texas requires voters to present photo identification when voting in person. There are seven kinds of acceptable identification, and for voters 18-69, these IDs are still valid if less than four years expired:

• Texas driver license
• U.S. passport (book or card)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate
• Texas Personal Identification Card
• Texas Handgun License
• U.S. Military Identification Card with a photo
• U.S. Citizenship Certificate with a photo

If you are registered, you may still vote without one of these forms of ID, but will need to fill out a reasonable impediment declaration and present a copy or original of one of six acceptable forms of identification: 

• A domestic birth certificate or a court-admissible birth document
• A current utility bill
• A bank statement
• A government check
• A paycheck
• A government document with the voter’s name and address

It is important to note that the reasonableness of a voter’s impediment cannot be questioned.

Voters with disabilities can also apply for a permanent exemption.

Polling places are determined prior to each election and can vary between votes. Common polling locations include schools, churches, libraries and other government buildings. Dallas County uses a countywide vote center model, meaning registered voters can cast their ballot in person at any location regardless of their precinct. 

You can check for polling locations ahead of specific elections on the county elections department website. 

Mail-in voting is restricted to certain persons in Texas. You must be 65 years or older, sick or disabled, out of the country on election day and during the early voting period, be expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day or be confined in jail while still eligible to vote.

If eligible, you need to print an application for a ballot by mail or submit an order online to have one mailed to you. Once you have the form, you need to complete sections one through four and then sign and date section five. If you were unable to sign and someone witnessed your signature or if someone helped you complete the application or mailed it for you, then that person must complete section six. 

Once complete, you need to put it in an envelope, add postage and address and mail the completed form to your county’s early voting clerk. You may also fax the application if available or email a scanned copy, but in both cases you must also mail the original, hard copy of the application to your early voting clerk.

Check VoteTexas.gov for additional information on application deadlines for mail-in ballots for each election.

All voters eligible to vote on Election Day are also eligible for in-person early voting in Texas. This can often make the process more convenient and accessible for voters. The timeframe for early voting varies by election but is typically from the 17th day before election day to the fourth day before election day, according to the VoteTexas website.

For additional voting information, visit VoteTexas.gov.