Early voting in the Nov. 3 general election opens Monday, Oct. 19, and runs through Friday, Oct. 30. Texas voting rules have changed several times over the past two decades, and a guide published Friday by The Texas Tribune lays out where they stand now. Here is what applies at the polls this fall.
Bring a photo ID, or know the fallback
Voters at a polling place must show one of seven accepted forms of photo identification, according to the Tribune, which cites the Texas secretary of state.
A voter who does not have an accepted photo ID and cannot reasonably get one can still vote a regular ballot by showing another document with their name and address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document, and signing a reasonable impediment declaration.
Reasons the state accepts include lack of transportation, disability or illness, a work schedule, family duties, a lost or stolen ID, or an ID that was applied for but has not arrived.
A voter who simply leaves an ID at home can cast a provisional ballot, but it counts only if the voter visits the county voter registrar within a week after Election Day.
Voting by mail
Voters who qualify to vote by mail must ask for an application; election officials are not allowed to send them out unrequested. Both the application and the ballot itself must carry an ID number, such as a driver's license number or part of a Social Security number, that matches the voter's registration record.
In Grayson County, applications must be received by Friday, Oct. 23; a postmark by that date is not enough, according to the county elections office.
