The Nov. 8 Presidential Election is just around the corner, and Tuesday, Oct. 11 is the last day to register to vote.
Individuals can register to vote by mail or in person. Voter registration forms are available at your county voter registrar’s office or at other locations such as libraries, government offices, or high schools.
Eligibility
To vote, you must be a resident of the county where they will submit your voter application, and be at least 18 years of age on election day. In addition, you must not be serving a sentence (including probation or parole) for a felony conviction, and not currently judged incompetent by a court.
To find out if you are already registered to vote, you can confirm by providing your Texas driver’s license number, your Voter Unique Identifier (VUID) – which appears on your voter registration certificate – or your first and last name, here.
If you are not yet registered, you can register to vote by clicking here. Once your form is completed you must mail it by Oct. 11 to your county voter registrar’s office.
Early Voting
All registered Texas voters are eligible to vote early in person and can do so from Oct. 24-Nov. 4. A valid form of ID is required. You may vote early by mail if you will be away from your county on Election Day and during the early voting period, if you are sick or disabled, 65 years or older on Election day, or if you are confined in jail.
You can get a formal application for a ballot by mail from the Secretary of State’s office, the Early Voting Clerk in your county, or you can download an application here.
Vote on Nov. 8
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, and an accepted form of ID is also required.
Valid forms of ID:
- Texas driver license issued by the Department of Public Safety
- Texas election ID certificate
- Texas personal ID card
- Texas license to carry a handgun
- U.S. military ID card with your photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate which includes your photograph (doesn’t need to be current)
- U.S. passport
If an individual doesn’t have any of the above valid forms of ID, they will need to sign a sworn statement stating their reason why, and must bring one of the following:
- A valid voter registration certificate
- Certified birth certificate
- A current utility bill
- A government check
- A paystub or bank statement which includes your name and address
- A copy of or original government document with your name and an address (original required if it contains a photograph).
For more information about the voting process, how to register, and what to expect on Election Day, click here.
Around the city, community members, political organizations, and others are hosting several events to motivate people to register to vote.
‘Get out the Hispanic vote 2016? – Car Meet and voter Registration Drive
On Sunday, Oct. 9, Bexar County Young Tejano Democrats and representatives from San Antonio’s diverse car club community are hosting a family-friendly car meet event of lowriders, classic cars, import tuners, and big wheeled cars to engage new voters and help them register to vote.
The event will take place from 1-4 p.m. at the Cassiano Park Pavilion, 1728 Potosi St., and will include free food and music by Mystic Production TLR.
“Our goal is to engage and activate people in our community that are traditionally not reached out to by either party,” Bexar County Tejano Democrats stated in a press release. “We are seeking to bridge communities that may feel disenfranchised with the political process, and most importantly have them registered prior to the October 11 deadline.”
The next Presidential Debate, between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, will take place on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. It will be held at Washington University in St Louis, Miss. and it is the second of three presidential debates.
