FINAL VOTING IS ON NOVEMBER 6TH 2012
Texas Voting
The Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s Office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. weekdays. The Elections Division is also open during the hours that the polls are open on all uniform election dates (2nd Saturday in May and 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November), on the primary and primary runoff election dates (1st Tuesday in March of even-numbered years and 2nd Tuesday in April following the primary), and the dates on which special statewide and federal elections may be ordered. Answers to questions on election law and procedures may be obtained by telephoning the Elections Division toll-free at 1.800.252.VOTE (8683) or direct at 512.463.5650. votetexas.gov
PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION DATE
The Primary Run-Off will take place on July 31st. Registered voters who voted in the Primary can vote in the same Party Run-Off election. If a registered voter did not vote in the Primary they may vote in either party’s Run-Off election. Eligible Texans who are not registered to vote must register by July 2, 2012 to vote in the July 31st Run-Off election.
Early Voting
November Uniform
Your Rights
HEY, YOU HAVE RIGHTS!
As a registered voter in Texas, you have the right to:
- A ballot with written instructions on how to cast a ballot.
- Ask the polling place official for instructions on how to cast a ballot (but not suggestions on how to vote).
- Cast your vote in secret and free from intimidation.
- Receive up to two more ballots if you make a mistake while marking the ballot.
- Bring an interpreter to assist you as you qualify to vote if you do not understand the English language.
- Help to cast your ballot if you cannot write, see the ballot, or understand the language in which it is written.
- Report a possible voting rights abuse to the Secretary of State (1.800.252.8683) or to your local election official.
- Cast a provisional ballot if your name does not appear on the list of registered voters or you do not have proper identification.
- Vote once at any early voting location during the early voting period within the territory conducting the election.
- File an administrative complaint with the Secretary of State concerning violations of federal and state voting procedures.
VOTER INFO
Register To Vote
Who,What,Where,When,How
Military & Overseas Voters
Voters With Special Needs
Latino Vote Map
Rock The Vote
FAQ
LOCATIONS
Dallas County Elections
Election Day Collin County
Tarrant Couty Voting Info
INFORMATION TO KNOW
Who can vote in Texas?
To be eligible to register to vote in Texas, a person must be:
- A United States citizen;
- A resident of the Texas county in which application for registration is made;
- At least 18 years old on Election Day;
- Not finally convicted of a felony, or, if so convicted must have (1) fully discharged the sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or (2) been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote; and
- Not determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be (1) totally mentally incapacitated; or (2) partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
How do you register?
Registering to vote is easy in Texas. It doesn’t even require a stamp! Official applications to register to vote are postage-paid by the State of Texas.
In most Texas counties, the County Tax Assessor-Collector is also the County Voter Registrar. In some counties, the County Clerk or County Elections Administrator registers voters. You may obtain an application from the County Voter Registrar’s office, the Secretary of State’s Office, libraries, many post offices, or high schools. From our website, you may request that we send you an official, postage-paid application. Or, you may download an informal application, but you will be required to affix a stamp before mailing. You may also register to vote when you apply for or renew your driver’s license.
Read the instructions on the form, fill it out and mail it postage-free to the County Voter Registrar, or hand-deliver it to the County Voter Registrar’s office.
You must be at least 17 years and 10 months of age on the date you apply. If for any reason you cannot register yourself, with your permission, your spouse, parent or child may fill out and sign an application for you if that person is a registered voter or has applied for voter registration. This person is known as your “agent.”
The application must be received in the County Voter Registrar’s office or postmarked 30 days before an election in order for you to be eligible to vote in that election. You will receive a voter registration certificate in the mail after the County Voter Registrar has processed your voter registration application. Upon receipt of the voter registration certificate, sign it, fold it and keep in it in your wallet and take it to the polls with you when you vote.
All voters who registered to vote in Texas must provide a Texas driver’s license number or personal identification number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety or the last four digits of your social security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, then you must state that fact on the application by checking the designated box.
What if I don’t have a driver’s license, personal identification number, OR a social security number? Can I still register to vote in Texas?
A voter who has not been issued a driver’s license or social security number may register to vote, but such voter must submit proof of identification when presenting himself/herself for voting or with his/her mail-in ballots, if voting by mail. These voters’ names are flagged on the official voter registration list with the annotation of “ID.” The “ID” notation instructs the poll worker to request a proper form of identification from these voters when they present themselves for voting. Acceptable identification includes:
- a driver’s license or personal identification card issued to the person by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to the person by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
- a form of identification containing the person’s photograph that establishes the person’s identity;
- a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes the person’s identity;
- United States citizenship papers issued to the person;
- a United States passport issued to the person;
- official mail addressed to the person by name from a governmental entity;
- a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter; or
- any other form of identification prescribed by the Secretary of State.
Voter registration certificate
- Once you apply, a voter registration certificate (proof of registration) will be mailed to you within 30 days.
- Check your certificate to be sure all information is correct. (If there is a mistake, make corrections and return it to the voter registrar immediately.)
- When you go to the polls to vote, present your certificate as proof of registration.
- You may vote without your certificate by signing an affidavit at the polling place and showing some other form of identification (for example, driver’s license, birth certificate, copy of electric bill).
- If you lose your certificate, notify your County Voter Registrar in writing to receive a new one.
- You will automatically receive a new certificate every two years, if you haven’t moved from the address at which you are registered.
For more information, Contact:
- Secretary of State’s Office toll-free at 1.800.252.VOTE (8683)
- Your local County Clerk (will be listed in the blue pages of your telephone book)
- Your local County Elections Administrator
- Your County Voter Registrar (Tax Assessor-Collector)
This information is available in Spanish, large print, audiotape, or computer disc upon request.
Elections Division
P.O. Box 12060
Austin, Texas 78711-2060
512.463.5650 or
1.800.252.VOTE (8683)
Fax 512.475.2811
TTY 7.1.1
999 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20463
1.800.424.9530
P.O. Box 12070
Austin, Texas 78711-2070
512.463-5800
1.800.325.8506
1108 Lavaca St., Suite 500
Austin, Texas 78701
512.477.9821
505 West 12th Street, Suite 200
Austin, Texas 78701
512.478.9800
P.O. Box 41059
Austin, Texas 78704
1.800.422.1776
P.O. Box 271080
Houston, TX 77277-1080
210-471-1791
Rev: 8/25/10
Learn About Your Rights To Vote
History of Federal Voting Rights Laws: The Voting Rights Act of 1965
Vote count
President Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks at the signing of the Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965.
The two numbers in each line of this list refer to the number of representatives voting in favor and against the act, respectively.
Senate: 77–19
- Democrats: 47–17 (73%-27%)
- Republicans: 30–2 (94%-6%)
House: 333–85
- Democrats: 221–61 (78%-22%)
- Republicans: 112–24 (82%-18%)
Conference Report:
Senate: 79–18
- Democrats: 49–17 (four Southern Democrats voted in favor: Albert Gore, Sr., Ross Bass, George Smathersand Ralph Yarborough).
- Republicans: 30–1 (the lone nay was Strom Thurmond; John Tower who did not vote was paired as a nay vote with Eugene McCarthy who would have voted in favor.)
House: 328–74
- Democrats: 217–54
- Republicans: 111–20
