Oct. 9 is the last day to register to vote in the November elections in Texas. It’s also the last day to update your address if you’ve moved since the last time you voted.
Here’s everything you need to know to do either of those things:
Can I register?
The Texas Secretary of State is the state’s election authority. The criteria it lists for being eligible to vote are:
- You are a United States citizen;
- You are a resident of the county where you submit the application;
- You are at least 17 years and 10 months old and will be 18 or older on Election Day;
- You are not a convicted felon (though you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation and parole); and
- You have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
Am I already registered to vote?
You can check your voter registration status online here. If the information, including your name and address, is not correct, make sure to update it.
Not registered? Get an application.
Texas is not the easiest place to register to vote. There is no online registration (though you can fill out a form online, print it and mail it in). If you need to register, you have to do it in person or by mail.
(UPDATE 8 a.m. Oct. 7: Problems that left many forms on the Secretary of State's website inaccessible for most of Oct. 6 have been resolved.)
You can download an application here. (In Spanish, here.)
Print it. Fill it out. Mail it on or before Oct. 9.
Where do I mail the application?
That depends on what county you live in.
See, the Secretary of State is Texas’ top election official, but voter registration and the elections themselves are run by county governments. So, you have to mail your registration application to your county election administrator.
In Andrews County, that's the Elections AdministratorGraciela Mendoza. You can mail it to her office at:
- Andrews County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 7, Andrews 79714
In Brewster County, that's the Elections AdministratorLora Nussbaum. You can mail it to her office at:
- Brewster County Voter Registration, 107 West Ave. E, #5 79830
In Crane County, that's the Tax Assessor-Collector Judy Crumrine. You can mail it to her office at:
- Crane County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 878 Crane 79731
In Culberson County, that's the Tax Assessor-Collector Amalia Hernandez. You can mail it to her office at:
- Culberson County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 668, Van Horn 79855
In Ector County, that's the Elections Administrator Elizabeth “Lisa” Sertuche. You can mail it to her office at:
- Ector County Voter Registration, 1010 E. 8th St., Suite 101, Odessa 79761
In Glasscock County, that's the Tax Assessor-Collector Ernestina H. Flores. You can mail it to her office at:
- Glasscock County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 89, Garden City 79739
In Hudspeth County, that's the District & County Clerk Virginia Doyal. You can mail it to her office at:
- Hudspeth County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 158 Sierra Blanca 79851
In Jeff Davis County, that's the Sheriff/Tax Assessor-CollectorWilliam R. Kitts. You can mail it to his office at:
- Jeff Davis County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 1061, Fort Davis 79734
In Midland County, that's the Elections administrator Deborah Land. You can mail it to her office at:
- Midland County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 3434, Midland 79702
In Pecos County, that's the Tax Assessor-CollectorSanta Acosta. You can mail it to their office at
- Pecos County Voter Registration, 200 S. Nelson, Fort Stockton 79735
In Presidio County, that’s the tax assessor-collector, Natalie G. Williams. You can mail it to her office at:
- Presidio County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 848, Marfa 79843
In Reeves County, that's the Tax Assessor-Collector Rosemary Chanbarria. You can mail it to her office at:
- Reeves County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 700 Pecos 79772
In Ward County, that's the Tax Assessor-Collector, Vicki Heflin. You can mail it to her office at:
- Ward County Voter Registration, P.O. Box 290, Monahans 7975
What if I moved and I need to update my registration?
Great question! Even if you moved next door, you need to update your registration. If you moved a few streets over, you might have moved to an entirely different legislative, congressional or city council district.
Fortunately, there is a way to update your address WITHOUT mailing something or going to the tax office — but ONLY if you moved within the same county.
If that’s you, then go here to update your address.
If you moved to a different county, you’re going to have to register again in your new county — on paper.
Also, whether you’re doing it online or not, changes to your registration have to be made by the Oct. 9 deadline.
Have more questions about how to register, how to vote or the election? Ask our Texas Decides project. We'll be answering your questions in the weeks leading up to the election!
