So, you’re questioning whether you want to vote or not. What’s involved in the decision? There are actually two questions: Will I vote? For whom or what will I vote?
I’ll consider the “Will I vote?” question first:
· If you decide not to vote, you have given others
the authority to make a decision that will affect you and the people you love.
Your single vote will probably not determine the result of an election that
involves a large number of voters; however, by not voting, you have made the
votes of those who do participate more significant in determining the outcome
of the election.
· If you decide to vote, there are several
questions to be answered:
o
Am I eligible to vote? What are the
qualifications for voting in the election in which you are voting?
o
What type of election is it? There are several
types of elections depending on your election jurisdiction. Each election may
have different qualifications and conditions. Is it a referendum? Is it a
primary election? Is it a recall election? Is it an election to approve a
constitutional amendment? Is it a bond election?
o
How is the voting conducted? Can I vote by mail?
If so, what is required to cast a ballot by mail? If so, when do I have to
request my ballot? How can I submit the ballot by mail? When do I have to
submit the ballot? When does the ballot have to be received? To whom do I
address the ballot? If I made a mistake on the ballot, can I correct it? If so,
how do I correct it?
o
When can I vote? Is in-person early voting
available? What are the dates and hours for in-person early voting? Where can I
vote early in person?
For Travis County, Texas, these are the answers:
·
To be eligible to vote:
o
You can register if you are 17 years and 10
months of age. However, you must be 18 years of age or older on Election Day
for the election in which you desire to participate.
o
You must be a United States citizen.
o
You must register in the county in which you
reside.
o
If convicted of a felony, you must be “off
papers” or your right to vote has been restored otherwise.
o
You must be mentally competent to vote, as ruled
by a probate court with jurisdiction.
· In addition, you must register to vote at least
30 days before the election in which you desire to participate. To register in
Texas, you can complete a form online and present it to the county official
responsible for voter registration. You can also complete a voter registration
form with a deputy registrar of the county. The deputy registrar will turn in
the completed form. You will receive a copy of the registrar’s form, which
indicates that you are registered to vote. You can also go to the county official
who is responsible for voter registration and complete the form.
· What type of election do you desire to vote in?
There are several types of elections in Texas. The general election is
in November in even-numbered years. All other elections are special
elections and may be held in November of odd-numbered years or in May of
any year, which is when many municipalities hold their elections to elect city
officials and get approval for municipal bonds. The November election date is
the first Tuesday after the first Monday. The May election date is the first
Saturday in May. Primary Elections are conducted by political parties to
nominate their candidates for positions on the general election ballot. Primary
elections are held on the first Tuesday in March. Runoff Elections are
held when no candidate in an election receives at least fifty percent of the vote
in the original election for certain local and primary elections. Runoff Elections
are conducted on the Tuesday twelve weeks after the original election. The
Texas governor can also call special elections to fill vacancies in certain
offices.
· In Texas, one can vote by mail or early vote by
mail or in person. The rules for voting by mail are detailed and limited to registered
voters with certain conditions. Early voting commences two weeks before the
election. In-person early voting in Travis County is conducted at voting
locations throughout the county. Registered voters can vote at any of the
designated voting locations, not just in their voting precinct.
· If you decide to vote either during in-person early
voting or on Election Day, you will need to know where to vote, the Days and hours for
voting, and what you must possess to vote.
o
The locations for early in-person voting vary by
county in Texas. In Travis County, you can vote at any location specified by
the County Clerk as an in-person early voting location.
o
The days and hours of early in-person voting
also vary by county. Again, the County Clerk is the source. (Travis County Clerk
(traviscountytx.gov)
o
Election Day voting times also vary by county. In
Travis County, polling locations are specified by the County Clerk. Hours are 7
am to 7 pm. If you are in line to vote at 7 pm, you will be allowed to vote.
o If you possess one of the following forms of acceptable photo ID, you must present it when voting in person:
- 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 your photograph,
- United
States Citizenship Certificate containing your photograph,
- United States Passport (book or card).
- Except for the U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which does not expire, for voters aged 18-69, the acceptable form of photo identification may expire no more than four years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place. For voters aged 70 or older, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise valid.
Now,
you know what information or documents are necessary before you vote. In the
next post, we’ll consider what you must decide to cast a vote that is
meaningful to you.
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