What you need to know to vote in Texas amendment election

From Staff Reports
·7 min read

Early voting for the Texas Constitutional Amendment Special Elections begins Monday, Oct. 23 and runs through Friday, Nov. 3 in Potter and Randall counties. Here's what you need to know about what's on the ballot, where to vote, what you need to bring to the ballot box and more.

Texans will decide the fate of 14 amendments recently sent to the ballot by state lawmakers. Some of these would create or alter funds to support higher education, water infrastructure, gas-fueled power plants, broadband infrastructure and/or state parks.

The next Election Day in Texas is Nov. 7. Amarillo saw its latest municipal election in May of this year, as seen by this file photo.
The next Election Day in Texas is Nov. 7. Amarillo saw its latest municipal election in May of this year, as seen by this file photo.

Other amendments would impact certain professions by increasing retired teachers' cost-of-living amount, raising the mandatory retirement age for state judges, and protecting farming and ranching practices.

Several others would address taxes by:

  • Raising the homestead exemption for homeowners from $40,000 to $100,000

  • Creating tax exemptions for medical equipment and child-care facilities

  • Banning lawmakers from imposing “wealth taxes” without voter approval

Two amendments would impact specific Texas counties, giving Galveston County the ability to eliminate the position of county treasurer and allowing El Paso County to use bonds for parks and recreation development, the Texas Tribune notes.

If you have a ballot in Potter County, you'll only be voting on the state amendments. If you're in Randall County, depending on the voting precinct, your ballot may have voter-approval school district tax rate elections for either Canyon or Happy.

Where to vote early in Potter, Randall counties

POTTER COUNTY

For more information including sample ballots, visit https://www.pottercountytexasvotes.gov/ . Early voting locations include:

Santa Fe Building (Main), First Floor, Ticket Office, 900 S. Polk St.

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 28 (Saturday): 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 1 (Monday-Wednesday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Nov. 2-3 (Thursday-Friday): 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Casey Carpet One, Main Entrance - 3500 I-40 West Frontage Rd.

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 3 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cornerstone Outreach, Fellowship Rm - 1111 N. Buchanan St.

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 3 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Northwest Branch Amarillo Public Library, Meeting Room - 6100 SW 9th Ave.

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 3 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Tri-State Fairgrounds, Arched Gate #1 - 3301 SE 10th Ave.

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 3 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

RANDALL COUNTY

For more information including sample ballots, visit https://www.randallcounty.gov/166/Election-Administration . Here are the early voting locations:

Randall County Election Administration Office, 1604 5th Ave., Canyon (main early voting location)

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 28 (Saturday): 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 1 (Monday-Wednesday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Nov. 2-3 (Thursday and Friday): 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Randall County Annex, 4320 S. Western, Amarillo

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 28 (Saturday): 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 1 (Monday-Wednesday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Nov. 2-3 (Thursday and Friday): 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Randall County Justice Center, 2309 Russell Long Blvd., Canyon

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 3 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Southwest Branch Library, 6801 W. 45th Ave., Amarillo

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 3 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Comanche Trail Church of Christ, 2700 E. 34th, Amarillo

  • Oct. 23-Oct. 27 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Oct. 30-Nov. 3 (Monday-Friday): 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Election Day voting locations, Nov. 7

POTTER COUNTY

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day and include the following locations:

  • Bushland Fire Station #1, Truck Bays​, 17600 Indian Hill Rd., Bushland

  • Casey Carpet One, Main Entrance, 3500 I-40 W Frontage Rd.

  • Chaparral Hills Church, Sanctuary, 4000 W Cherry Ave.

  • Cornerstone Outreach, Fellowship Room, 1111 N Buchanan St.

  • Diversity Church, Main Entrance, 5631 Pavillard Dr.

  • Eastridge Lanes, Right Side, 5405 E Amarillo Blvd.

  • Highland Park Admin. Bldg., Boardroom, 15300 E Amarillo Blvd.

  • Kids, Inc., Mary E Bivins Room, 2201 SE 27th Ave.

  • NW Branch Library, Meeting Room, 6100 SW 9th Ave.

  • Pride Home Center, middle back of store, 3503 NE 24th Ave.

  • Santa Fe. Bldg., Ticket Office, 900 S Polk St.

  • Tri-State Fairgrounds, Commercial Exhibit Hall, 3301 SE 10th Ave.

  • Trinity Baptist Church, East Entrance, 1601 I-40 W

  • United Citizens Forum, Main Entrance, 903 N Hayden St.

  • Valle de Oro Fire Station #2, Truck Bay, 23801 FM 1061, Valle de Oro

RANDALL COUNTY

All vote centers will be open Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. Election Day Vote Centers for Randall County voters include the following:

  • Crossroads Country Church, 14425 FM 1541, Amarillo

  • Journey Church, 9711 FM 2186, Amarillo

  • Comanche Trail Church of Christ, 2700 E. 34th, Amarillo

  • Arden Road Baptist, 6701 Arden Road, Amarillo

  • Randall County Justice Center, 2309 Russell Long Blvd., Canyon

  • Oasis Southwest Baptist Church, 8201 Canyon Dr., Canyon

  • Ascension Academy, 9301 Ascension Parkway, Amarillo

  • Randall County Annex, 4320 S. Western, Amarillo

  • Southwest Church of Christ, 4515 Cornell, Amarillo

  • The Summit, 2008 12th Ave., Canyon

  • Redeemer Christian Church, 3701 S. Soncy, Amarillo

  • Coulter Road Baptist Church, 4108 S. Coulter, Amarillo

  • Southwest Public Library, 6801 SW 45th Ave., Amarillo

  • Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center, 4111 S. Georgia, Amarillo

  • Freedom Fellowship Church, 55 Hunsley Rd., Canyon

What to bring to the ballot box

You can check your registration status online ahead of time www.votetexas.gov before heading to a polling site. According to the Texas Secretary of State, voters can bring one of seven approved forms of ID from the following list:

  • Texas driver's license

  • Texas election ID certificate

  • Texas personal ID card

  • Texas handgun license

  • U.S. Citizenship Certificate with photo

  • U.S. military ID Card

  • U.S. passport (book or card)

Mail-in ballot requirements

Oct. 27 is the last day voters can request a mail-in ballot. Applications must be received by the early voting clerk in your county — not postmarked — by Oct. 27. In Randall County, the applications for ballot by mail may be emailed to the Election Administrator or faxed to 806-656-2151. The original hard copy must still be mailed and received in this office within four days of electronic submission. In Potter County, completed Application for Ballot by Mail can be sent to Potter County Elections, P.O. Box 9618, Amarillo, TX 79105-9618. You may hand-deliver your ballot by mail to our office at 900 S. Polk St., Room 320 on Election Day. Ballot must be postmarked by the USPS or received by their office no later than 7: p.m. on Election Day.

According to the Texas secretary of state, to be eligible to vote early by mail a voter must be 65 years or older by Election Day; be sick or disabled; be out of the county on election day and during the two-week early voting period; be expected to give birth within three weeks before or after election day; or be in jail but otherwise eligible. Applications to vote by mail can also be submitted by fax or email, but the county must receive a hard copy within four business days. They can also be dropped off in person.

The deadline for mail-in ballots to be returned to the county is Election Day, Nov. 7. If a ballot is postmarked by 7 p.m. locally that day, it’ll be counted if it’s received by the county by 5 p.m. Nov. 8. Absentee ballots can also be delivered to your county elections office in person with a valid form of ID while polls are open on Election Day. You’ll need to provide an ID number on both your mail-in ballot and ballot envelope, which can be your driver’s license, state ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you don’t have any of these ID numbers, you can also indicate you have not been issued that identification. Under new laws, once election officials receive your ballot, they must notify you of any errors and how to submit corrected forms by mail, in person, or through the state’s online tracking tool.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Early voting begins Oct. 23 for Texas constitutional amendments