BELL COUNTY, Texas — With the General Election coming soon on Nov. 8, and early voting beginning Oct. 24, the Bell County Election Department is giving residents some advice on how to prepare to head to the polls.
The first important piece of information is where voters can go to cast their vote. Voters are allowed to vote at any voting location in Bell County. There will be seven locations open during Early Voting, and 42 locations on Election Day across Bell County.
A full list of voting locations are available at the links above, and through www.bellcountytx.com.
More popular voting locations may have longer wait times as more people line up to cast their votes, so voters may need to be prepared to wait. To help manage wait times, Bell County has created an app that shows voting locations and an estimated wait time at each.
The app is available at BellCountyTx.com/voting.
The County has also taken measures to make voting accessible for most. Every voting center will offer curbside voting to people with mobility problems, and a placard at each location will display a phone number to call if voters need to request assistance.
Outside of the basics, there are also some laws that are specific to Texas polling places.
“A Voting Center is a unique place,” Elections Administrator Dr. Desi Roberts said. “There are some otherwise ordinary behaviors that people may not realize could get them in trouble within 100 feet of a polling site.”
Firstly, all firearms are strictly prohibited from being carried in a polling location. Texas Penal Code states that it is an offense to carry a weapon on the premises of a voting location during Early Voting and Election Day. Only Election Judges and law enforcement are exempt.
The use of cell phones, cameras, tablets, or any device that can be used to communicate wirelessly and record sound or images is also prohibited within 100 feet of a polling location. Phones and devices cannot be out in the polling place.
Elections Administrator Dr. Desi Roberts encourages voters to do their research in advance so that they know who they want to vote for when they arrive.
“We publish a sample of every ballot in the county to our website,” Dr. Roberts said. “Voters can bring in paper notes or even print out and complete their sample ballot to use as a guide.”
Sample ballots are available here, and are divided up by precinct number. If voters are unsure of their precinct, they can find them using this interactive map. Users can input their address to find everything they need to determine which of the sample ballots is right for them.
Finally, any display of campaign or political materials is prohibited within 100 feet of a polling place. No signs, literature, or clothing relating to a candidate, political party or measure that will appear on the ballot is permitted. Those wearing clothing with political statements may be asked to cover it up before entering the voting location.
More details about what is allowed and further information on the voting process can be found on the Texas Secretary of State website.