By María Méndez, The Texas Tribune
Voting for the 2024 election starts Monday. Texans can head to the polls to cast their votes for president and various federal, state, and in certain cases, local elected officials.
These elected officials have a say in how much Texans pay in taxes, what students learn in public schools, what health care — including reproductive health care — is available and many more facets of people’s lives.
Before you head to the polls, you should know you have rights as a voter and there are certain rules in place at voting locations about what you can bring and wear. You also need an approved photo ID to vote in person.
What rights do I have as a voter?
If a registered voter’s name does not appear on the voter registration list because of an administrative issue, they have the right to cast a provisional ballot.
Voters generally have the right to cast their ballots in secret and should not be subject to intimidation.
Voters are entitled to get written instructions about how to cast a ballot or to ask a polling place officer or worker (but not about who or what to vote for).
Remember to review your ballot for any possible errors. You have the right to get up to two additional ballots to make corrections. The incorrect ballots will be spoiled and not counted.
Texas law says voters have the right to vote during work hours without being penalized or losing pay, but this may not apply if a worker has two hours before or after work to go vote.
On Election Day, voters have the right to cast their ballot as long as they’re in line by 7 p.m.
Voters with disabilities or limited English proficiency can get interpretation, assistance or accommodations to vote. Read more about that in the next section.
If you run into trouble while voting, you can contact your county elections official, the secretary of state’s office at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683) or voter-protection hotlines from a coalition of voting rights groups. The coalition’s helpline in English is 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683), and you can find phone numbers for the helpline in other languages here.
How can I get accessibility or language accommodations?
In addition to the option to vote by mail, a voter with a disability can have a person of their choice assist them vote at an election center. In Texas, a voter with a disability is a voter with a “sickness or physical condition” that prevents them from voting in person without the likelihood of “needing personal assistance or of injuring the voter’s health.” A voter does not need to prove their disability to election officials or workers and cannot be turned away.
All polling locations in Texas must meet accessibility standards, including entrances and exits at least 32 inches wide and accessible curbs and stairs. Each location usually has at least one type of accessible voting equipment to accommodate voters, but you may want to check.
Voters unable to enter a polling location can also request curbside voting, which must be made available at every polling place for voters with disabilities unable to enter a polling location.
If a voter has a mobility problem that substantially impairs their ability to move or walk, the voter can request priority to vote in person and skip the line at the polls. If they have an assistant, the assistant can also skip the line at the voter’s request.
Voters can choose an individual to help them with interpretation and completing their ballot at the polls. This can be a family member, friend or someone else, as long as the person is not the voter’s employer or a representative of their union.
A voter may also be assisted by poll workers. If a voter needs sign language interpretation and does not have a person of their choice to help them, it is recommended they call their election officials ahead of time to request assistance.
Read more about assistance and accommodations from the Texas secretary of state’s office here.
What are the rules at the polls?
There are usually traffic cones or markers 100 feet from the entrance of a polling place. That’s because cell phones, cameras, computers and other devices that can record sound or images cannot be used within 100 feet of voting stations (where ballots are marked). Election officers may require voters to deactivate their phones once inside the polling location.
Campaigning is also forbidden within those 100 feet, which means voters cannot wear clothing or other items that publicize candidates, political parties or measures, even if they are not currently on the ballot. A 2021 lawsuit challenged Texas laws about this and put some of the provisions on pause, but a federal appeals court ultimately upheld the state’s laws.
Firearms, including handguns, are also prohibited at polling places, according to Texas law.
Voters are allowed to use written notes to cast their ballot at the discretion of election officers, who may determine if the material counts as campaigning.
What’s on the ballot?
Not sure what’s on your ballot? You can use our lookup tool to see your state and federal elections. You can also get a sample ballot from your county.
If you want to learn more about candidates, you can try visiting vote411.org to see if any of your candidates responded to the League of Women Voters’ candidate questionnaires. This includes information about candidates for the statewide elections for president, U.S. senator, railroad commissioner and for members of the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Where do I go to vote?
During early voting, voters can cast ballots at any polling location in the county where they are registered to vote. On Election Day, some counties may require you to vote at a location specific to your address (precinct) , which can be found on your voter registration certificate or by checking your registration online.
You can find a list of counties where voters can vote at any county polling location on Election Day from the Texas secretary of state’s office.
Check your county elections website for early-voting times and locations and Election Day locations. You can find yours here. You can also use the secretary of state’s website to see polling locations, but your county’s information will be the most up to date.
You may want to consider calling election officials, especially on Election Day, to make sure polling locations haven’t changed last-minute. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.
Need a ride to the polls? The rideshare companies Uber and Lyft will be providing discounts of 50% (or up to $10) on Election Day. To get the discount, voters can use Uber’s in-app “Go Vote” feature or preload the code “VOTE24” on Lyft’s app. Read more details from Uber and Lyft.
If you’re voting by mail within the U.S., your ballot must be postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day and received by your county by 5 p.m. Wednesday in order to be counted. Read more about photo IDs, registration requirements and mail-in ballots in our voter guide here.
What do I need to vote?
You’ll need one of seven types of valid photo ID to vote in Texas:
- A state driver’s license, issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
- A Texas election identification certificate, issued by DPS.
- A Texas personal identification card issued, by DPS.
- A Texas license to carry a handgun issued, by DPS.
- A U.S. military ID card with a personal photo.
- A U.S. citizenship certificate with a personal photo.
- A U.S. passport.
If you don’t have an approved photo ID, you can still vote by signing a “reasonable impediment” form and presenting valid supporting identification documents, such as a birth certificate, your voter registration certificate or a current utility bill with your name and address.
If you’re using a state ID or driver’s license, the address listed on there does not have to match your current address. And if you forget your ID, you can cast a provisional ballot, which can be counted only if you provide the required photo ID or documents within six days.
What if my voter registration is “in suspense”?
If your voter registration shows up as “in suspense,” it usually means that officials are not sure of your address. But you may still be able to vote by filling out a “statement of residence” at the polls. If you moved and didn’t update your address by the Oct. 7 voter registration deadline, you may be able to vote at your previous polling location if it is within the same county or political subdivision or vote on a limited ballot.
A limited ballot only includes statewide elections and federal elections for president and Texas’ U.S. senator. Unless you qualify to vote by mail, a limited ballot is only available in-person during early voting at the main early voting location, which is usually the office of the election administrator or county clerk who runs elections in your county. Contact the elections office in your county to apply for a limited ballot.
Can I vote in person if I requested a mail-in ballot?
The short answer is yes, if you are in Texas and the county where you’re registered to vote. The process will be more streamlined if you bring your mail-in ballot with you to your polling place so you can surrender it before casting your vote. If you don’t have your ballot or never received it, you can still cast a provisional ballot. Your vote will be counted once the county determines it never received your mail-in ballot.
Voters who were looking to vote by mail because of a sickness or disability may also qualify to vote through curbside voting or an emergency ballot.
To request an emergency ballot, you must designate a representative to submit an application in person on your behalf and have a certified doctor’s note. The application must be received by your county’s early voting clerk before 5 p.m. on Election Day, and your ballot must be returned by the same designated representative before 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
Contact your county elections office to learn more about curbside voting and emergency ballots.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/21/texas-2024-elections-early-voting-polls-rules/.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
