Texans' last chance to vote in this year's midterm election is Nov. 3. Polling places across the state will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, according to the secretary of state's office.
Dozens of races will appear on the ballot, from the state's next U.S. senator and governor to local officials and propositions.
"As we approach Election Day, I want Texans to know that their confidence in this process is well founded," Secretary of State Robert Howden said in an Oct. 27 news release. "Every election in Texas goes through a proven audit process and election officials across the state are working to help make sure every eligible vote is counted."
Keep reading to get the scoop on Election Day in Texas—including what to bring to the polls, how to address voter registration issues, how to vote by mail and what's on the ballot. Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide to read Q&As with hundreds of candidates, find coverage of local propositions and print a custom sample ballot to bring to the polls.
What you need to know
Voting is county-based. On Election Day, certain counties allow residents to vote at any local polling site through the countywide polling place program. This includes the following counties in Community Impact's coverage areas: Bastrop, Brazoria, Brazos, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Fort Bend, Harris, Hays, Tarrant, Travis and Williamson.
Voters in other counties are required to vote at assigned precincts, although all polling sites will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. To find polling locations, voters can:
Per state law, each polling place must include at least one parking space for curbside voting, which is reserved for people who are "physically unable" to enter the building due to a disability or injury. Voters may also receive assistance marking their ballot if they are blind, have a disability or cannot read or write; and may use an interpreter if they do not speak English.
State law requires voters to register in advance of an election, and the voter registration deadline for the midterms was Oct. 5. Registered voters can review their registration at any time here, and others can register for future elections here.
Something to note
When checking their registration, some voters may see their status listed as "suspense," meaning election officials believe the voter recently moved and need to confirm their address.
Being on the suspense list does not mean an individual cannot vote. Texans can fill out a "statement of residence" form when voting by mail or in-person, and some voters may be able to call their local voter registrar to fix the issue before visiting the polls.
Voter ID requirements
If a voter runs into an issue at the polls that cannot be immediately resolved—such as a lack of photo ID or an administrative error—they have the right to cast a provisional ballot, per state law. According to the Texas Association of County Election Officials, the voter must sign an affidavit stating they are registered in their local county and otherwise eligible to vote.
Texas law requires voters to bring one of seven forms of identification to the polls:
A Texas driver's license (issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety)
A Texas personal ID card (issued by DPS)
A Texas handgun license (issued by DPS)
A Texas election ID certificate (issued by DPS)
A U.S. military ID card with the voter’s photograph
A U.S. citizenship certificate with the voter’s photograph
A U.S. passport
If a voter has issues with their photo ID, they may be required to return to the local voter registrar's office by Nov. 9—six days after Election Day—to present an acceptable ID or other documentation. To cast a traditional ballot, voters without an approved ID may also sign a “reasonable impediment declaration” at the polls and present an alternate form of identification, such as a birth certificate, a current utility bill or a paycheck.
Texans who recently moved counties and are still registered in their old county may be eligible to vote with limited ballots—however, that option was only available during the Oct. 19-30 early voting period, according to the secretary of state.
What else?
Voters may bring written materials, such as notes and sample ballots, to the polls to help them cast their votes.
Guns and wireless communication devices—such as cellphones, tablets and smartwatches—are not allowed at polling places. Texans also cannot post or distribute written materials within 100 feet of the entrance to a polling place, as this is considered campaigning or electioneering under state law.
On the ballot
At the polls, voters will be given a ballot with a slate of federal, state and local races determined by the voting precinct they live in.
At the local level, Texans may see district judges, county officials, city council members, school board members and local ballot propositions on their ballots. The federal and state seats up for election include:
A U.S. Senate race featuring Libertarian Ted Brown, Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico (statewide)
All 38 U.S. House seats (by congressional district) for the first time since state lawmakers redrew congressional boundaries last year
The race for governor, including Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, Libertarian Pat Dixon and Democrat Gina Hinojosa (statewide)
The lieutenant governor race, featuring Libertarian Anthony Cristo, Democrat Vikki Goodwin, Green Party candidate Kevin McCormick and Republican incumbent Dan Patrick (statewide)
The Texas attorney general race among Democrat Nathan Johnson, Republican Mayes Middleton and Libertarian Tom Oxford (statewide)
The Texas comptroller race, featuring Libertarian V. Alonzo Echavarria-Garza, Democrat Sarah Eckhardt, Green Party candidate Shehla Faizi and Republican incumbent Don Huffines (statewide)
The race for Texas land commissioner, including Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham, Democrat Benjamin Flores and Libertarian Neill Snider (statewide)
The Texas agriculture commissioner race, with Libertarian Austin R. Kelly, Republican Nate Sheets and Democrat Clayton Tucker (statewide)
The Texas railroad commissioner race, featuring Republican Bo French, Libertarian Arthur DiBianca and Democrat Jon Rosenthal (statewide)
Four seats on the Texas Supreme Court (statewide)
Three seats on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (statewide)
Three seats on Texas' 15th Court of Appeals (statewide)
16 state Senate seats (by legislative district)
All 150 state House seats (by legislative district)
Eight State Board of Education seats (by SBOE district)
Slots for write-in candidates may appear under some races. Republicans currently hold all statewide seats on the ballot, and no Democrat or third-party candidate has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, election records show.
Voters can find the specific races on their ballots at communityimpact.com/voter-guide. After polls close at 7 p.m. Nov. 3, election results will be posted on the same webpage.
Statewide statistics
More than 4.5 million Texans cast ballots during the first week of early voting, state data shows. Derek Ryan, a GOP consultant and election data analyst, estimated that about 7.85 million people would vote through Oct. 30, which was the last day of early voting. Ryan reported that:
In 2024, about 2% of the 11.4 million votes cast statewide were made by mail, while 83% came from early voting and 15% of ballots were cast on Election Day.
In 2022, 8.1 million votes were cast, about 3% of which were from mail-in ballots, 71% were early votes and 26% were Election Day votes.
Just over 19 million people are registered to vote in the Lone Star State, according to the secretary of state.
Voting by mail
While most Texans are required to vote in-person, registered voters may be eligible for mail-in voting if they are:
65 years or older
Sick or disabled
Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after election day
Living outside their county of residence from Oct. 19-Nov. 3 (including college students, those in the military and astronauts)
Civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code
Confined in jail but otherwise eligible to vote
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot was Oct. 23. Mailed ballots must be submitted or postmarked by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, with exceptions for military and overseas voters, per the secretary of state.
Changes made to the U.S. Postal Service's rules late last year mean that mail, including mail-in ballots, may be postmarked days after being dropped in a mailbox, Community Impact previously reported. To ensure a same-day postmark, customers can go to their local post office and request that their mail be hand-stamped for free, according to the USPS.
