Early voting ends Friday. Here's what you need to cast your ballot in Central Texas.

Skye Seipp, Austin American-Statesman
·5 min read

With Election Day a few days away and early voting wrapping up Friday, here’s what you need to know to cast your ballot.

I didn’t register to vote, can I still cast a ballot?

Unfortunately, you will not be able to vote in the 2022 midterm election if you did not register before the Oct. 11 deadline, as Texas does not allow same-day registration as 20 other states do.

When is early voting in Texas?

Early voting begins Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 4.

Election Day is Nov. 8

Leer en español:La votación anticipada comienza pronto. Esto es lo que necesita para emitir su voto en el centro de Texas.

Where can I vote?

During early voting, you can cast a ballot at any polling location in your home county. You can look up locations at https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do beginning two days prior to the start of early voting by entering your name, county, date of birth and ZIP code. Hours of operation vary by location.

Most counties in Central Texas — excluding Caldwell — allow you to vote at any polling location on Election Day. Polling locations are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters in Travis County can visit https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/departments/elections/current-election/#polling-locations to see a map of polling locations. Early voting locations are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. There is also a tab on this webpage that allows you to see the wait times at each location.

What do I need to bring with me to vote?

You’ll need to bring one of these seven forms of acceptable photo identification to vote:

  • Texas driver's license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

  • Texas election identification certificate issued by the DPS.

  • Texas personal identification card issued by the DPS.

  • Texas handgun license issued by the DPS.

  • U.S. military identification card containing your photograph.

  • U.S. citizenship certificate containing your photograph.

  • U.S. passport.

A student ID is not considered an acceptable form of identification in Texas.

Does my acceptable photo ID address need to match my voter registration address?

Nope. You should vote where you’re registered and currently live.

Can I use an expired ID?

Yes. If you’re under 70, you can use an ID that expired in the last four years. Residents 70 or older can use an ID no matter when it expired.

What if I can’t get an acceptable photo ID?

Then you’ll need to sign a “Reasonable Impediment Declaration” that states your reason for not being able to obtain such an ID. You’ll also need to present one of these documents:

  • A voter registration certificate.

  • A current utility bill.

  • A bank statement.

  • A government check.

  • A paycheck.

  • A birth certificate.

  • A document confirming birth admissible in a court of law that establishes your identity (including a foreign birth document).

A “reasonable impediment” includes any of the following:

  • Lack of transportation.

  • Lack of birth certificate or other documents needed to obtain a photo ID.

  • Work schedule.

  • Lost or stolen identification.

  • Disability or illness.

  • Family responsibilities.

  • Acceptable form of photo ID applied for but not received.

Am I eligible for mail-in voting?

Applicants considering voting by mail must be either:

  • 65 years or older.

  • Sick or disabled.

  • Out of the county on Election Day and during the period for early voting.

  • Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.

  • Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.

College students who are living in a different county from where they’re registered to vote can also vote by mail.

Texas’ Election Code defines an appropriate sickness or disability as one that “prevents the voter from appearing at the polling place on election day without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring the voter's health.” It’s up to voters to decide if their sickness or disability warrants voting by mail.

Can I still register to vote by mail?

Yes. The final day to submit an application to vote by mail is Oct. 28.

How do I register to vote by mail?

You can download the application at https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/forms/5-15f.pdf or request an application be mailed to you from the secretary of the state at https://bbm.sos.state.tx.us/bbm.asp. You’ll need to complete the application and then send it to the early voting clerk in your county. You can also fax the documents or send a scanned copy via email to the early voting clerk. However, you still must mail the original printed copy to the early voting clerk to be received no later than four days after emailing or faxing the copy.

Do I need an ID to vote by mail?

You’ll need to provide either a driver’s license number, a state-issued ID number or an election identification certificate number. If you don’t have one of these, you may also provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. And if you don’t have any of these forms of ID, you can check that you haven’t been issued one of these forms of ID.

Your vote by mail will be counted as long as it’s postmarked by 7 p.m. Nov. 8 and received by the county by 5 p.m. Nov. 9.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Early voting locations in Austin, and what you need to know to vote