TEMPLE, Texas — Some Texas counties are running behind on voter registration cards and that means not every voter was able to get one before early voting kicked off on Feb. 14.
The good news: You don't technically need your voter registration card to vote or to confirm that you are registered. You just need an accepted photo ID.
"You don't need to have your registration card in hand in order to vote in Texas. That registration card that people are used to getting in the mail simply confirms that you are registered to vote in your county and confirms where you are registered at," Texas Secretary of State spokesman Sam Talor told 6 News.
Voters that didn't get their card yet can easily check their voter registration status on this website.
Texans will need a valid photo ID in order to vote. That ID can be any of the following:
- Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
- Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
- Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
- United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
- United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
- United States Passport (book or card)
6 News also found out that not every county has their sample available online. Talor told 6 News it was possible to look up who is on a county's ballot online, and you can do so here.
Unfortunately, this tool shows all candidates running for office that is relevant to any voter in that county and does not break down the races available to each precinct. If voters do not see a sample ballot available on their county election website they should contact the county and inquire why.
County Election officials have been dealing with a unusually tight deadline to prepare this year because the U.S. Census took longer and state legislators got information to draw districts maps much later than normal.
"There are a lot of different factors," Talor told 6 News. "The Texas legislature went for three sessions last year...the third of which was when state districts were signed into law. We are working on a very compressed timeline compared to what county elections administrators are used to in most years and even other redistricting years."