Texas voter registration guide: What you need to know to vote in the 2024 primary election

Andy Sevilla, Austin American-Statesman
·4 min read

The races are set for the Texas Democratic and Republican primary elections in March in which voters will elect a slate of nominees for federal, state and local offices.

Voters on March 5 will pick their party's choices for president, U.S. senator, all 38 U.S. representatives and numerous top state and local offices, including Texas Supreme Court justices, district attorneys and sheriffs.

Each party's candidates who win in the primary will advance to the general election in November.

Here's how to check if you're registered to vote and important election dates to keep in mind.

More: Gov. Greg Abbott focused on school choice fight as Texas primary races take shape

How to register to vote in Texas

To qualify to vote in Texas, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the county where they submit the voter registration application and be at least 18 years old on Election Day.

The deadline to register to vote is 30 days before an election. For the March primary races, the last day to register is Feb. 5.

Applicants may register to vote in several ways:

  • In person: At the county voter registrar's office.

  • By mail: Pick up a registration application from the county registrar's office, public library or other government office, fill out the application and mail it to the voter registrar.

  • Online: Fill out a voter registration application through the Texas secretary of state's online portal, then print, sign and mail it to the county voter registrar.

Any registered voter can participate in either party's primary election, but voters can only take part in one primary per election cycle.

How to vote in Texas

Texas offers a couple ways to vote in elections. Here's how to do it.

In person: Voters can cast a ballot at their polling location and must present one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID. Voters may vote early from Feb. 20 to March 1 at any early polling location in their county. On Election Day, depending on the county, voters might have to cast a ballot at their specified precinct poll or at any polling location.

By mail: Voters may request a ballot by mail online at the secretary of state's website, by downloading the application or at their county's elections office. The first day to apply for a ballot by mail is Jan. 1. The last day to request a ballot by mail is Feb. 23.

The Texas Democratic and Republican primaries will be held March 5. Here's how to cast your ballot.
The Texas Democratic and Republican primaries will be held March 5. Here's how to cast your ballot.

When returning the completed mail-in ballot, voters must provide one of the following numbers on their ballot as well as on their ballot carrier envelope: Texas driver’s license, Texas Personal Identification Number or Election Identification Certificate Number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. The last day for the county elections office to receive the mail-in ballot is by 7 p.m. March 5, if the carrier ballot envelope isn't postmarked, and by 5 p.m. March 6 if the envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Acceptable forms of photo ID to vote in person in Texas

  • Texas Driver License

  • Texas Election Identification Certificate

  • Texas Personal Identification card

  • Texas Handgun License

  • U.S. Military identification card with the person’s photo

  • U.S. Citizenship Certificate with the person’s photo

  • U.S. Passport (book or card)

  • Anyone who lacks and cannot obtain one of these forms of ID, may fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration form at the polling location and present an alternate form of ID, such as an utility bill, bank statement, government check or voter registration certificate.

Offices up for election on the 2024 Texas ballot

  • President of the United States

  • U.S. Senate

  • All 38 United States representatives

  • Railroad commissioner

  • Texas Supreme Court (three members)

  • Court of Criminal Appeals (three members)

  • State Board of Education (seven members)

  • Texas Senate (15 members)

  • All 150 state representatives

  • Courts of appeals (various chief justices and justices)

  • District judges, criminal district judges

  • Family district judges

  • District attorneys

  • Sheriffs

  • County Courts at Law

  • County attorneys

  • Tax Assessor-Collectors

  • County commissioners

  • Justices of the peace

  • Constables

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas primary 2024: How to register, vote in March 5 election