Texas voters are required to present one of seven specific forms of photo identification
before they may cast their ballots.
Voters must present one of the following forms of ID to vote:
- Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety
- Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
- Texas personal ID card issued by DPS
- Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
- U.S. military ID card containing the cardholder’s photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate containing the cardholder’s photograph
- U.S. passport
Voters who cannot obtain one of the seven acceptable forms of photo ID due to a reasonable impediment may present a supporting form of identification and execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration, noting the voter’s reasonable impediment to obtaining an acceptable form of photo identification and stating the voter is the same person as on the presented supporting form of identification.
Supporting forms of ID that can be presented for voters with a reasonable impediment are:
- Valid voter registration certificate
- Original certified birth 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
- Copy of or original government document with voter’s name and an address (original required if it contains a photograph)
With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the ID must be current or have
expired no more than four years before being presented at the polling place. Voters can
apply for an Election Identification Certificate at no cost at any driver’s license office. Details on how to apply for an EIC are available on the DPS website:
www.dps.texas.gov/driverlicense/electionIid.htm.
For more information regarding voter ID laws, go to the Secretary of State Office’s website:
www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id.html.
Source: Texas Secretary of State/Community Impact Newspaper
