AUSTIN (KXAN) – Early voting begins October 13 in Texas, but there is still some work to be done before you get to the polls.
2020 election: deadlines, deadlines, voting by email for Texas voters
Registration
Unlike 21 other states and Washington DC, same-day voter registration is not permitted in Texas. Voter registration is required at least 30 days before the election. For the November 3rd election, voters had until the end of Monday October 5th to either hand in the form in person or to stamp a form sent by post.
Nor can you simply fill out a form online. In Texas, you must print the form and mail it back or hand it in in person.
ID requirement
With a few exceptions, you must ensure that you bring official photo identification with you when you vote.
These seven are all accepted:
- Texas driver’s license
- Texas Election ID Certificate
- Texas Personal ID Card
- Texas Handgun License
- U.S. Citizenship Certificate
- US Military ID Card
- US passport
With the exception of U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which does not expire for voters aged 18 to 69, the acceptable form of photo ID cannot have expired more than four years before it is presented at the polling station for eligibility. For voters 70 and over, the acceptable form of photo identification may have expired for any period of time if the identification is otherwise valid.
Here is a list of the supporting forms of identification that may be presented if the voter does not have any of the forms of acceptable photo identification and cannot reasonably be obtained:
- Copy or original of a government document containing the name and address of the voter, including the voter registration certificate;
- Copy or original of the current electricity bill;
- Copy or original bank statement;
- Copy or original government check;
- Copy or original paycheck; or
- Copy or original of (a) a certified domestic birth certificate (from a U.S. state or territory) or (b) a document attesting to a court-approved birth certificate and identifying the voter (including a foreign birth certificate).
Upon submission of one of the forms of Supportive ID listed above, the voter must provide a statement of reasonable obstacles.
Postal vote
Postal voting is a little difficult this year. There are very strict rules as to who can do this, including those 65 and over, the people outside the country, the incarcerated, and the sick or disabled.
However, Harris County has plans to send absentee voting requests to all registered voters in the greater Houston area. However, that plan is being put on hold pending a decision by the Texas Supreme Court.
Should medical notes be required for COVID-19 positive voters requesting late postal voting requests?
Early voting
If you don’t want to vote on election day, you’re in luck. The early voting will start six days earlier in Texas because of the pandemic. It runs from October 13th to October 30th.
However, members of the GOP, Governor Greg Abbott’s own party, are suing to prevent those additional six days. You said it was against the electoral law.
Vote as a felon
If you have been convicted of a crime in Texas, you will not be able to vote until you have completed your entire sentence, including prison, parole, and probation.
