Early voting begins Oct. 13 across Texas and will run through Oct. 30 as residents choose their candidates for federal, statewide and local offices. Community Impact Newspaper has compiled information on candidates in Travis County, early voting locations, dates and additional information to help voters as they prepare to head to the polls.
Voting dates
Gov. Greg Abbott extended the early voting period in Texas due to the coronavirus pandemic:
Oct. 13: Early voting begins
Oct. 23: Last day to request a mail-in ballot*
Oct. 30: Last day of early voting
Nov. 3: Election Day
*date received, not postmarked
Who is on the ballot in Travis County?
Contested races countywide include the district attorney, where Democrat Jose Garza will face Republican Martin Harry after Garza defeated incumbent Margaret Moore in a runoff election in July, and Travis County Judge, where Democrat Andy Brown and Republican Michael Lovins are running to replace former judge Sarah Eckhardt. In July, Eckhardt defeated a field of five other candidates to become the next state senator for District 14. The following are the contested races appearing on the ballot:
Travis County
District attorney
Martin Harry (R)
Jose Garza (D)
County judge
Michael Lovins (R)
Andy Brown (D)
Sheriff
Raul Vargas (R)
Sally Hernandez* (D)
Tax assessor-collector
Marilyn Jackson (R)
Bruce Elfant* (D)
Erica Lockwood (L)
County commissioner, Precinct 1
Solomon Arcoven (R)
Jeffrey Travillion* (D)
County commissioner, Precinct 3
Becky Bray (R)
Ann Howard (D)
County Court at Law No. 9
Kim Williams* (D)
Christopher David (L)
District judge, District 460
Geoffrey Puryear* (R)
Selena Alvarenga (D)
Local U.S. House Districts
U.S. House District 10
Michael McCaul* (R)
Mike Siegel (D)
Roy Eriksen (L)
U.S. House District 17
Pete Sessions (R)
Rick Kennedy (D)
Ted Brown (L)
U.S. House District 21
Chip Roy* (R)
Wendy R. Davis (D)
Arthur DiBianca (L)
Tommy Wakely (G)
U.S. House District 25
Roger Williams* (R)
Julie Oliver (D)
Bill Kelsey (L)
U.S. House District 35
Jenny Garcia Sharon (R)
Lloyd Doggett* (D)
Mark Loewe (L)
Jason Mata Sr. (I)
Local Texas Senate and House Districts
Texas Senate District 21
Frank Pomeroy (R)
Judith Zaffirini* (D)
Texas Senate District 24
Dawn Buckingham* (R)
Clayton Tucker (D)
Texas House District 47
Justin Berry (R)
Vikki Goodwin* (D)
Michael Clark (L)
Texas House District 48
Bill Strieber (R)
Donna Howard* (D)
Texas House District 49
Charles Allan Meyer (R)
Gina Hinojosa* (D)
Kenneth M. Moore (L)
Texas House District 50
Larry Delarose (R)
Celia Israel* (D)
Texas House District 51
Robert Reynolds (R)
Eddie Rodriguez (D)
*denotes incumbent
Polling locations
Travis County will have 37 early voting centers open and 200 locations open on Election Day. A list of early voting locations can be found below. You can also find the list at the Travis County Clerk's website, with wait times updated live. Travis County voters are allowed to cast their ballot at any voting center throughout the county.
Mail-in ballots
Travis County voters who are older than 65, out of the county during the entire election period, in jail but otherwise eligible to vote, or disabled may request a mail-in ballot. According to Texas law, voters do not have to disclose the nature of their disability when requesting a mail-in ballot.
Voters can either send their ballots back to the county clerk by mail—all ballots must be postmarked by Election Day—or they can drop them off by hand at any of these locations:
5501 Airport Blvd. (Travis County tax office)
700 Lavaca St. parking garage (entrances on Guadalupe Street or Lavaca Street)
1010 Lavaca St. parking lot (enter from W. 11th Street between Guadalupe and Lavaca)
The locations to hand deliver mail-in ballots will be open during the following times:
Oct. 1-2: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oct. 5-9: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oct. 12: 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Oct. 13-17: 7 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Oct. 18: noon-6 p.m.
Oct. 19-24: 7 a.m-7 p.m.
Oct. 25: noon- 6 p.m.
Oct. 26-Oct. 31: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
Nov. 1: noon-6 p.m.
Nov. 2: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Nov. 3: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated that voters who are out of the county during the entire election period are eligible for a mail-in ballot.
