FAQ

FAQ

We hope that you will take a moment to review these pages, as you may find the answers to questions of your own. We encourage you to explore our website for more detailed information on elections and voting in Texas. We hope you find this useful, and we appreciate this opportunity to serve you. Note: We have grouped questions and answers in categories and provided links to additional information when needed.

I’m not sure if I’m registered; how can I confirm my voter registration status?

A.
You can confirm your registration status on this website by going to Am I Registered to Vote?, where you will select one of three methods for conducting your search. You can base your search on:  1. your Voter Unique Identifier (VUID), which appears on your voter registration certificate; 2. your Texas driver's license number, if you provided it when you applied for voter registration; or 3. your first and last name. Or, you can call the voter registrar’s office in the county where you reside. To find the number, review the list of County Voter Registration Officials.

If I send my registration by the deadline, what happens next?

A.
Your voter registration becomes effective 30 days after it is submitted (and accepted*) by the county voter registrar.  The county office will then put your name on the voter registration list, generate your voter certificate and mail it to you. Once received, be sure to read the information on the back of the certificate, sign by the X on the "front" of the card (the yellow area) and keep your voter card in a safe place. This is what you will take with you to the polls to vote. Note that as long as your name is on the voter list, you may vote without presenting this certificate, but you must provide another form of identification. See discussion below under “Voting without a Certificate.” *If your original application is missing required information, you will receive a notice in the mail and have a deadline to respond to the notice.

I don’t remember seeing my voter registration certificate lately. Is that a problem? Don’t I just stay registered?

A.
New certificates are mailed out every two years to the most recent address you gave to the voter registrar. If you do not recall receiving a new yellow and white certificate in 2012, it could mean that you have moved without updating, or there is some other problem with your registration. If the certificate was mailed to an old address, it was returned to the registrar, and you were placed on the "suspense list" in that county. This means you have a grace period that allows you to vote in the same county in your old precinct, but If you do not vote, your name will be removed from the rolls after two federal elections have passed since you were placed on the suspense list. If you did not receive your certificate because you moved to a new Texas county, you will need to re-register.

I am reviewing this page and nothing makes sense to me. These are not the rules I have heard. I’m in a state other than Texas — does that matter?

A.
If you are visiting our website from another state, please remember that each state has slightly different rules. These rules describe Texas state law and are intended for voters who consider their permanent home to be in Texas and want to vote a Texas ballot. If you arrived at this page through a search engine and you need another state's election law, check the National Association of Secretaries of State page for other state websites.

I can’t find my voter certificate/card. Will I be able to vote without it?

A.
If you are a registered voter and you have lost or misplaced your voter certificate, you may vote without your certificate by providing some form of identification (see list below) and signing an affidavit at the polls. This is the procedure to follow if your voter registration is still current and your name appears on the voter rolls in your county of residence. You may also contact your county voter registrar to obtain a replacement certificate. Addresses and phone numbers of Voter Registrars

Acceptable documents are:
  1. a driver's license or personal identification card issued to you by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to you by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
    Note: These forms of IDs should not be used if "Limited Term" or "Temporary Visitor" appears on the face of the card as this indicates the person is not a U.S. Citizen.
  2. a form of identification containing your photograph that establishes your identity;
  3. a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes your identity;
  4. United States citizenship papers issued to you;
  5. a United States passport issued to you;
  6. official mail addressed to you, by name, from a governmental entity;
  7. a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.

Can anybody vote early by mail (once referred to as absentee voting)?

A.
Only specific reasons entitle a registered voter to vote early by mail (no longer called absentee voting). You may request a ballot by mail if you:
  1. will be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting;
  2. are sick or disabled;
  3. are 65 years of age or older on Election Day; or
  4. are confined in jail.
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Provisional Voting

Provisional voting is designed to allow a voter whose name does not appear on the list of registered voters due to an administrative error to vote. The voter must complete an affidavit stating the reasons he or she is qualified to vote. Provisional voting is only used if the voter cannot qualify to vote by the methods described above. Important points are: (1) the cast provisional ballots are kept separately from the regular ballots; and (2) the voter’s registration record will be reviewed later by the provisional voting ballot board (the early voting ballot board) and is counted only if the voter is determined to be a registered voter and is otherwise qualified to vote. Provisional voters will receive a notice in the mail by the 10th day after the local canvass advising them if their provisional ballots were counted, and if they were not counted, the reason why.

Military & Overseas Voters

Military and overseas voters are welcome to use the regular registration and early voting by mail process available to all voters away from their home county on Election Day. However, there are also special provisions for military and overseas voters.

Voters with Special Needs

Please read our special needs information to ensure that you are fully informed on the available services.

Student Voters

Student voters often seek advice regarding residency issues for voter registration purposes. For more information, please read Information regarding student residency issues.

We also have FAQS on Student Election Clerks.

Convicted Felons and Voting

In Texas, a convicted felon regains the right to vote after completing his or her sentence. Therefore, once a convict completes the punishment phase (including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by the court), the convict is eligible to register and vote in the state of Texas.

Liquor Elections

For information on the local option liquor petition and election process in Texas, please review our office’s educational materials.

Political Parties

For information on registered political parties in Texas, please contact those organizations directly:

Additional Information

We have information located in various sections of our website – “Voter Information,” “Candidates,” and “Conducting Your Elections” (for election administrators), just to name a few. You will notice that some information is repeated in different places; our hope is to gear each section to the audience for easier bookmarking and future use.

Should you need additional information, please email or call us at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683).