Texas residents planning to cast a ballot in the March 3 primary elections have until Feb. 3 to register to vote. Those who have had recent name and/or address change have the same deadline to update their voter registration status.

Fort Bend County voters will be selecting candidates in county, state and federal races in either the Democratic or Republican primary. Early voting kicks off Feb. 18 and runs through Feb. 28 statewide.

Citizens can confirm their voter registration status at the Fort Bend County voter registration website or at the Texas secretary of state’s website.

For voting locations, sample ballots and other important information leading up to Election Day, Fort Bend County residents can visit www.fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/county-services/elections-voter-registration.

Registration eligibility laws require applicants to:

• be at least 18 years old;
• be a United States citizen;
• not have been determined by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
• not have been finally convicted of a felony—or if convicted, have fully discharged the sentence, completed a period of probation ordered by any court, or have been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote; and
• be a resident of the county in which application for registration is made.

Those who have not yet registered to vote have several options:

• Visit the Fort Bend County Election office at 4520 Reading Road, Ste. A-400, Rosenberg, to submit a completed, signed form 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Download and print an application in English, Spanish, Vietnamese or Chinese.
• Request an application online from the Texas secretary of state.
• Complete an application online at the Texas secretary of state's website, print it and mail it before the deadline.
• Pick up an application at your local U.S. post office, library, high school, Texas Department of Public Safety site, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and other government offices.

Completed applications can be mailed at least 30 days prior to the election to: