The November election approaches quickly, and with it, the voter registration deadline. On Aug. 31, Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said more than 1.15 million people were already registered to vote in Bexar County. Voter registration ends Oct. 5.
“I would like to think it could go to 1.2 million,” she said. “But I don’t know. I think, just based on what we’re seeing, it’s doable.”
Having 1.2 million people registered to vote in Bexar County would set a record, Callanen said. But with the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, opportunities that volunteer deputy registrars typically have such as visiting high school government classes are no longer available.
“People are getting very creative because it’s very hard to go knock on doors, there’s no mass gatherings anymore,” Callanen said. “They’d always get tons of people to sign up at Fiesta, and all of those places. Those went away. We’ll see. My goal is to see us get 1.2 million.”
Those registered in Bexar County will have the opportunity to vote not only in the presidential election but in a number of statewide and county races as well. San Antonians will be able to cast ballots over sales tax-use propositions for pre-K, workforce development, and public transit. But before you can cast a ballot, you have to make sure you’re registered to vote.
How can I see if I’m registered to vote?
You can check your voter registration status here. All you need are a few things: Voter ID number or Texas Driver’s License number, your name, county and date of birth.
How do I register?
You can find a registration application online and print it out, or call the Voter Registration Office at 210-335-VOTE (8683) and request a voter registration application. When you get the physical application, just fill it out, sign it and mail it back to:
Voter Registration Office
1103 S. Frio, Ste. 100
San Antonio, TX 78207
You can also find voter registration applications at libraries, government offices, high schools, or with volunteer deputies.
When is the deadline to register?
Turn in your application to the Elections Department by Monday, Oct. 5. If you’re mailing in your application, make sure it’s postmarked and sent by Oct. 5. Get an application online here.
I just moved. Do I need to re-register?
If you moved to a different county, yes. If you moved to a different address within the same county, no. All you have to do is update your address online. You can also get a new voter registration application, make note of your new address, and mail it to the Voter Registration Office.
When is early voting?
Early voting starts Tuesday, Oct. 13 and runs through Friday, Oct. 30. From Tuesday, Oct. 13 to Saturday, Oct. 17, polling locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. From Monday, Oct. 19 to Saturday, Oct. 24, voters can cast early ballots from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The polls will be open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. both Sundays during early voting, Oct. 18 and Oct. 25. And polls will be open longer than usual on the last five days of early voting – 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday, Oct. 26 through Friday, Oct. 30. Find more information here.
When is Election Day?
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
What do I need to bring with me to vote?
You need one of seven forms of identification:
- Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
- Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
- Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
- United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
- United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
- United States Passport (book or card)
If you don’t have one of the seven forms of ID listed above and can’t reasonably get one, you can also bring one of these:
- copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate;
- copy of or original current utility bill;
- copy of or original bank statement;
- copy of or original government check;
- copy of or original paycheck; or
- copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document).
Where can I vote?
At any polling location within Bexar County – during early voting and on Election Day. The full list of early voting sites can be found here, including the AT&T Center as one of the newly-established mega-vote centers.
What about absentee ballots?
Get an application for ballot by mail here. Fill it out, sign it, and then submit the application to the Bexar County Elections Department between 60 and 11 days before the election. You can vote by mail if you are:
- Going to be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting
- Sick or disabled
- 65 years of age or older on Election Day
- Confined in jail, but eligible to vote
And for your vote to count, the early voting clerk must have your marked, mailed-in ballot by 5 p.m. the day after Election Day, as long as it’s postmarked on Election Day.
What will I be voting on?
President Donald Trump is seeking a second term this fall and will face Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Texans also will vote in the U.S. Senate election between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Democratic challenger MJ Hegar.
Bexar County residents also will see Congressional seats on their ballots in November, including the race for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. Tony Gonzales eked out a win in the Republican runoff and will face Democratic candidate Gina Ortiz Jones, who ran against incumbent U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-Helotes) in 2018.
Some seats in the Texas Legislature also are up for election in November, including the race for Senate District 19.
Depending on where you live in Bexar County, you may be voting in a county commissioner or constable race. County commissioner seats in precincts 1 and 3 will be on the November ballot. Precinct 2 also is on the ballot, but current Commissioner Justin Rodriguez does not have a challenger. County residents also can vote in races for sheriff and tax assessor-collector.
Many school districts have school board seats still undecided. Geographically eligible voters can cast ballots for school board positions in North East ISD, Southwest ISD, Edgewood ISD, South San ISD, and Somerset ISD. The Alamo Colleges District has three seats available as well.
San Antonio residents also can expect three propositions on their ballot. One asks voters to re-up the use of a one-eighth-cent sales tax for Pre-K for SA, a program dedicated to increasing local access to preschool education. Another asks voters to take a one-eighth-cent sales tax currently being used to fund aquifer protection and linear creekway trails and reallocate it to the City of San Antonio for workforce development and educational use in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the economy. The third asks voters to allow VIA Metropolitan Transit to take over the revenue from the one-eighth-cent currently used for the aquifer and trails after the City finishes collecting the revenue in 2026.
Have more questions?
Check out VoteTexas.gov. Or ask us, and we’ll find an answer for you!
San Antonio Report is a nonpartisan news organization and does not support or endorse political candidates or ballot propositions.
