Step One: Register!

Pick up a voter registration application at your library, any government office, or download one from this site. Mail your completed application to the Voter Registrar in your county. Upon acceptance, your voter registration will be effective 30 days from registration.

Step Two: Where, when, and how to vote.

You’ll be mailed a voter registration certificate or card with your name, address, and the number of the precinct in which you’ll vote. (A precinct is a geographic area in your county.) Check your local newspaper on the Saturday before the election for the address of the polling place for your precinct and, on election day, arrive there between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to cast your ballot. Unless you are a voter with a permanent exemption on your voter registration certificate, show your approved form of photo I.D. to the election official. Depending on the type of voting machine they use, they’ll provide you with a paper ballot or, for an electronic voting machine, a number or ballot activator card that enables you to vote on the machine. Easy, right?

To make the voting process even easier, we urge you to look over the sections Early Voting, Voter with special needs, and Your Rights.

In the past decade, Texas has led the nation with its efforts to increase ballot accessibility for all voters, including elderly voters, voters with disabilities, and voters who do not read or speak English or Spanish. Texas has created laws requiring all polling places to be accessible to persons who are elderly or physically disabled. And Texas was the first state to require that all electronic voting systems purchased after September 1, 1999, provide voters who have disabilities a practical way to cast a secret ballot.

Polling places should support voters, not hinder them. When you go to the polls in Texas, you can expect:

• Your polling place will meet strict accessibility standards, including:
• A location on the ground floor that can be entered from the street or via an elevator with doors that open at least 36 inches
• Doors, entrances, and exits used to enter or leave the polling place that are at least 32 inches wide
• Any curb next to the main entrance to the polling place must have curb-cuts or temporary non-slip ramps
• Stairs necessary to enter or leave the polling place must have handrails on each side and a non-slip ramp.
• Removal of all barriers such as gravel, automatically closing gates, closed doors without lever-type handles, or any other barrier that impedes the path of the physically disabled to the voting station.
• Voting systems that are accessible to voters with physical disabilities and can accommodate no vision, low vision, no hearing, low hearing, limited manual dexterity, limited reach, limited strength, no mobility, low mobility, or any combination of the foregoing (except the combination of no hearing and no vision)
• Each polling place will offer at least one type of accessible voting equipment or Direct Record Electronic (“DRE”) device. This equipment allows voters with disabilities to vote directly on the system or assist them in marking the paper ballot. Depending on the type of system, voters with disabilities may use headphones or other assistive devices to help them vote independently and secretly.

Voter Assistance

• You may be assisted by a person of your choice, by two election workers on Election Day, or by one election worker during early voting. You may NOT be assisted by your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union.
• The person assisting you must read the entire ballot to you, unless you request that only certain parts of the ballot be read aloud.
• The person assisting you must take an oath that he or she will not try to influence your vote, will mark your ballot as you direct, and will not tell anyone how you voted.
• If you choose to be assisted by polling place officials, then poll watchers and/or state and federal election inspectors may observe the voting process to make sure the ballot is marked as you request. If you are assisted by a person of your choosing, no one else may watch you vote.
• If you cannot speak English, or if you communicate only with sign language, you may select any registered voter of your county to help you communicate with election officials. If you cannot read the languages on the ballot, your interpreter may translate the ballot for you in the voting booth.

Voters may vote curbside.

• If you are physically unable to enter the polling place, you may ask that an election officer bring a ballot to you at the entrance of the polling place or to your car at curbside. After you mark the ballot, give it to the election officer to put it in the ballot box, or hand it to a companion to deposit in the ballot box for you.
• If you plan to go alone to vote curbside, it is wise to call ahead so election officials will expect you. Generally speaking, you may vote curbside during the early voting period (the 17th day before Election Day until the 4th day before Election Day) or on Election Day.

Students, here’s your class assignment: VOTE!

Lesson One: You have to register

If you’re a student who spends several weeks or months a year in different locations but wants to vote in Texas, you’ll need to decide which place in Texas is the place you call “home,” i.e., where you intend to return after you’ve been away. If you consider your parents’ address to be your permanent residence, you may use that address as your registration address. If you would like to register to vote at your college address, you may do so, but you can’t be registered in both places.

If you consider yourself a permanent resident of another state, you’ll need to consult with officials there for registration and ballot-by-mail procedures.

Lesson Two: Voting away from home.

If you’re attending a college or university away from home, you can vote early by mail if you claimed as your primary residence the address where you live while not attending school – in other words, where a parent or guardian lives.

To request that an early voting ballot be sent to the address where you are physically planning to be at election time (e.g.,at school), you must fill out an
early voting ballot request application. (PDF)

For more information, please visit our
Helpful Hints on Voting Early by Mail
section.

WORK AS A STUDENT CLERK

What are student election workers?

High school students who are 16 years of age or older now have the opportunity to participate in the electoral process by serving as elections clerks at the polling place during Early Voting or on Election Day. A student who is at least 16 years of age and who is enrolled in a public or private high school or home school and has the consent of the principal (or parent/legal guardian in charge of education in home school) may serve as an election clerk. The elections officials must receive written authorization from the student’s parent or guardian for the student to serve in the election for which he or she is appointed.

This program is designed to provide students with a greater awareness of the electoral process and the rights and responsibilities of voters. The students will assist their local election officials by filling positions at polling places during the Early Voting period or on Election Day and working under the direction of the polling place presiding judge.

What are the benefits of serving as an election clerk?

Some of the benefits of serving as an election clerk are:

• Election workers are paid hourly for their service.
• Students will gain practical experience by serving their community and state.
• Experience as an election clerk is an impressive addition to a resumé or college application.
• Students can take part in a rewarding activity while learning about the democratic process.
• Students can earn community service hours for school.

What are the responsibilities of an election clerk?

Working under the supervision of the judge, student election clerks may assist with the following duties:

• Organizing the polling place before the polls open.
• Ensuring that qualified voters are permitted to vote.
• Checking in and processing voters.
• Distributing ballots to registered voters.
• Providing instructions and assistance to voters.
• Answering voters’ questions.
• Explaining the use of the voting equipment.
• Maintaining order in the polling place on Election Day.
• Obtaining results after the polls are closed and closing the polling place.

What are the required qualifications of an election clerk?

To qualify as a student election clerk, the student must:

• Be at least 16 years old on Election Day;
• Be enrolled in a public, private, or qualified home school;
• Be a U.S. citizen;
• Have consent of his/her parent or legal guardian to work the election;
• Have consent of his/her school principal (or parent/legal guardian for home-schooled students); and
• Complete any required election worker training program.

How to Apply

• Fill out the Student Election Clerk Application and Permission Slip (PDF).
• Have your parent or guardian sign the Parent/Legal Guardian Permission portion.
• Have your school principal sign the School Principal Authorization portion. Also, take the proper steps to ensure that your absence from school in order to work during Early Voting or on Election Day will be excused.
• Send the application to the local elections officials conducting the election in which you wish to serve (county clerk/elections administrator, city secretary, school superintendent, etc.). Try to send application at least 60 days prior to Election Day (even though there is no statutory deadline).
• If selected, attend the required election training class prior serving as a clerk. This training provides all the necessary information and knowledge to be a successful elections clerk.
• Work at the polls as assigned during Early Voting or on Election Day.

Important Notes

• A school district may excuse a student for the purpose of serving as an Early Voting and/or Election Day clerk for a maximum of two days in a school year.
  • Example: A student could work two weekdays during Early Voting for an election held on Saturday, May 9, 2015, and then also work on Election Day, as the student would only have to be excused from school for two days
• Up to four student election clerks may work at a single Early Voting site at a time, and up to two student clerks may work at an Election Day polling place at a time.

Remember, when you turn 18 you will have reached the age to serve as a regular election clerk or judge!

For more information about elections, go to the Secretary of State’s website or contact your local elections officials.

First and foremost, we would like to thank you, the military voters, for your service to our country. To all U.S. citizens overseas, thank you for your interest in your country’s elections while far away. (Federal voting law defines “overseas” as anywhere outside the United States. This includes Canada and Mexico.) Military and overseas voters are welcome to use the regular registration and early voting by mail process (also known as absentee voting) available to all voters away from their home county on Election Day. However, there are also special provisions for you.

The process is as easy as ABC:

A (Application) Fill out and file your FPCA (Federal Postcard Application) as soon as possible but no later than a week before Election Day. B (Ballot) Receive your ballot or use the FWAB (Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot). C (Casting and Counting) Cast your vote by returning your marked ballot by Election Day, or the 5th day after if voting from overseas. TRACK THE PROGRESS OF YOUR FPCA AND BALLOT

A. Application

Who can use the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) and why?

• Active duty military, spouses, and dependents (voting from outside the home Texas county)
• U. S. Citizens (nonmilitary) temporarily overseas* away from the home Texas county
• U. S. Citizens (nonmilitary) permanently overseas* away from the (previous) home Texas county

* Federal law defines “overseas” as anywhere outside the United States. If you are not one of these voters, you need the regular early voting by mail procedures. What and where is the FPCA form? Here are two resources for obtaining an automated FPCA form:

• Federal Voting Assistance Program with the U.S. Department of Defense
• Actual FPCA form

What does the FPCA form do?

• Registers you onto the permanent voter rolls 30 days after receipt by the county (unless voter marks indefinitely away / do not intend to return)
• Functions as an application for ballot by mail and gives you temporary registration status for certain offices
• If voter marks indefinitely away (older form) / do not intend to return (newer form), voter receives federal ballot only

When is the FPCA deadline?

• General rule: deadline is the 7th day before Election Day (earlier is recommended)
• Here are the deadlines calculated for upcoming elections in 2014.

Where do you send the FPCA?

• General rule: the Early Voting Clerk’s office
• County contact information

How may you send the (completed signed) FPCA to the clerk?

• Hard copy by mail
• Common or contract carrier
• Fax (if the Early Voting Clerk’s office has a fax machine)
• E-mail (scanned image of signed form)

B. Ballot

How do you receive the ballot from the clerk? Authorized method the voter requested on the FPCA:

• Hard copy by mail (default method if nothing else requested)
• E-mail (unmarked ballot) (if election includes federal offices )
• Common or contract carrier (if paid for by voter)
• Unmarked ballots may not be faxed under Texas law, regardless of voter’s status.

Did the county or other election official send my ballot? Track my ballot

C. Casting and Counting

How do you return the ballot to the Early Voting Clerk?

• Hard copy by mail, or common or contract courier (like any other ballot by mail)
• IF from military voter (or spouse or dependent) in hostile fire pay / imminent danger pay / combat zone, may be faxed using authorized channels.
• Marked ballots may not be e-mailed under Texas law, regardless of voter’s status.

When is the deadline for returning the ballot?

• Regular deadline: receipt by 7:00 p.m. Election Day
• Deadline for voters voting from overseas location: receipt by 5th day after Election Day

Did the county or other election official receive my marked ballot? Track my ballot

What are student election workers?

High school students who are 16 years of age or older now have the opportunity to participate in the electoral process by serving as elections clerks at the polling place during Early Voting or on Election Day. A student who is at least 16 years of age and who is enrolled in a public or private high school or home school and has the consent of the principal (or parent/legal guardian in charge of education in home school) may serve as an election clerk. The elections officials must receive written authorization from the student’s parent or guardian for the student to serve in the election for which he or she is appointed.

This program is designed to provide students with a greater awareness of the electoral process and the rights and responsibilities of voters. The students will assist their local election officials by filling positions at polling places during the Early Voting period or on Election Day and working under the direction of the polling place presiding judge.

What are the benefits of serving as an election clerk?

Some of the benefits of serving as an election clerk are:

• Election workers are paid hourly for their service.
• Students will gain practical experience by serving their community and state.
• Experience as an election clerk is an impressive addition to a resumé or college application.
• Students can take part in a rewarding activity while learning about the democratic process.
• Students can earn community service hours for school.

What are the responsibilities of an election clerk?

Working under the supervision of the judge, student election clerks may assist with the following duties:

• Organizing the polling place before the polls open.
• Ensuring that qualified voters are permitted to vote.
• Checking in and processing voters.
• Distributing ballots to registered voters.
• Providing instructions and assistance to voters.
• Answering voters’ questions.
• Explaining the use of the voting equipment.
• Maintaining order in the polling place on Election Day.
• Obtaining results after the polls are closed and closing the polling place.

What are the required qualifications of an election clerk?

To qualify as a student election clerk, the student must:

• Be at least 16 years old on Election Day;
• Be enrolled in a public, private, or qualified home school;
• Be a U.S. citizen;
• Have consent of his/her parent or legal guardian to work the election;
• Have consent of his/her school principal (or parent/legal guardian for home-schooled students); and
• Complete any required election worker training program.

How to Apply

• Fill out the Student Election Clerk Application and Permission Slip (PDF, 30k).
• Have your parent or guardian sign the Parent/Legal Guardian Permission portion.
• Have your school principal sign the School Principal Authorization portion. Also, take the proper steps to ensure that your absence from school in order to work during Early Voting or on Election Day will be excused.
• Send the application to the local elections officials conducting the election in which you wish to serve (county clerk/elections administrator, city secretary, school superintendent, etc.). Try to send application at least 60 days prior to Election Day (even though there is no statutory deadline).
• If selected, attend the required election training class prior serving as a clerk. This training provides all the necessary information and knowledge to be a successful elections clerk.
• Work at the polls as assigned during Early Voting or on Election Day.

Important Notes

• A school district may excuse a student for the purpose of serving as an Early Voting and/or Election Day clerk for a maximum of two days in a school year.
  • Example: A student could work two weekdays during Early Voting for an election held on Saturday, May 9, 2015, and then also work on Election Day, as the student would only have to be excused from school for two days
• Up to four student election clerks may work at a single Early Voting site at a time, and up to two student clerks may work at an Election Day polling place at a time.

Remember, when you turn 18 you will have reached the age to serve as a regular election clerk or judge!

For more information about elections, go to the Secretary of State’s website or contact your local elections officials.

Commonly Asked FAQs regarding Student Election Clerks

1. What are student election clerks?
2. What are the requirements for a student to serve as an election clerk?
3. Can a student election worker serve as an interpreter?
4. Since the Presiding Judge selects their clerks except the alternate judge, how will the judge know which students are interested and available or how to even contact them?
5. Do the school authorities send the election officials student names, addresses, and phone numbers directly? Can the school give out this information without a written approval notice from a parent/legal guardian of the students?
6. How will the election officials inform the school that the student actually worked on Election Day?
7. Are there any labor laws about how many hours a student can work during a school day?
8. Are there any curfew laws that the student could run afoul of if they were out late due to extended voting hours?
9. How many student election clerks can serve at each polling place?
10. What do we do with multiple student requests from a single precinct? Can they work outside of their home precinct?
11. What if the parents and student give their general consent, then the student is later assigned to a polling place or time that he or she does not want to work?

1: What are student election clerks?

A: The 81st Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1134 (effective on September 1, 2009), which allows high school students 16 years of age and older to serve as election clerks in Texas elections. The purpose is two-fold: 1) to introduce students to the electoral process and inspire them with an interest in their government, and 2) to provide election authorities with an additional resource of persons who can serve at the polls.

2: What are the requirements for a student to serve as an election clerk?

A: The student must be 16 years old or older on Election Day; enrolled in a public, private, or qualified home school; and a U.S. citizen. The student must also have consent of his/her parent or legal guardian and his/her school principal (or parent/legal guardian for home-schooled students) to work in an election. The application form (PDF) contains the necessary consent forms to be signed by the parents and principal. The student must also attend an election worker training program for poll workers prior to Election Day.

3: Can a student election worker serve as an interpreter?

A: Yes. When election workers are communicating with a voter who cannot communicate in English, a student election worker may communicate with the voter in a language the voter and the clerk understands.

4: Since the Presiding Judge selects their clerks except the alternate judge, how will the judge know which students are interested and available or how to even contact them?

A: The Secretary of State’s office has an [application] form posted on its website that political subdivisions can use for students to apply to be election clerks. The students can fill out the application, get the required signatures, and send the form to the election administrators who serve the election in which the student wishes to serve. The elections administrator will provide each judge with a list of all eligible student election workers.

5: Do the school authorities send the election officials student names, addresses, and phone numbers directly? Can the school give out this information without a written approval notice from a parent/legal guardian of the students?

A: The student will provide all required information directly to the election officials. The Student Election Worker Application and Permission Slip (PDF) for students to complete and send to their local elections officials includes a consent section for both parent/guardian and the appropriate school official. The student will be responsible for obtaining the principal’s consent to serve as an election clerk. The student (not the school) provides the information directly to the election officials. The school will not need to contact the election officials. In addition, the student must obtain parental or legal guardian consent on the same application before the student can serve as an election clerk.

6: How will the election officials inform the school that the student actually worked on Election Day?

A: Serving as an election clerk is now included in the Texas Education Code’s definition of “excused absence.” Student election clerks are entitled to compensation in the same manner as other election clerks. The election official should give each student worker documentation in the form of a time sheet, pay stub, or other letter or form showing that the student served as an election worker and the hours worked. Ultimately, however, it is up to the student to ensure that the school is given the proper documentation in order to have an excused absence.

7: Are there any labor laws about how many hours a student can work during a school day?

A: Under the Texas Labor Code, the employment hours of persons 16 or older are not restricted by state law. Persons 16 or 17 years of age have no restrictions on the number of hours or times of day they may work.

8: Are there any curfew laws that the student could run afoul of if they were out late due to extended voting hours?

A:; There are no state law curfews in Texas. However, some municipalities and perhaps counties have curfews by local ordinance; therefore, the answers would vary depending on the details of any applicable local ordinance. It is likely that most local curfew ordinances give exceptions for school or work-related activities, under which this would likely qualify. Also, the student will not be in violation of the compulsory attendance law for schools because, again, the legislation provides for an excused absence when serving as an election clerk.

9: How many student election clerks can serve at each polling place?

A: Not more than two student election clerks may serve at a polling place, except that not more than four student election clerks may serve at any countywide polling place.

10: What do we do with multiple student requests from a single precinct? Can they work outside of their home precinct?

A: Students can work outside of their home precinct because election clerks are not limited to working only in their own precincts. The positions in each precinct should be filled in the order in which the students apply, assuming they meet all the requirements. Any extra student applicants for a given precinct may work in another precinct that does not already have its authorized number of student election clerk positions filled.

11: What if the parents and student give their general consent, then the student is later assigned to a polling place or time that he or she does not want to work?

A: The student clerk may simply turn down the assignment (just like any other voluntary election clerk offered an assignment that presents a conflict).