Voter guide | Here's what you need to bring to polls, know about before voting in November general election
Find your polling location by county, as well as what you'll need to bring to the polls so that you can vote in November.
Voters across the state of Texas and the country are heading to the polls this fall for the 2024 General Election.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024, with early voting running from October 21- November 1.
Here's information about where to vote, along with what you'll need to bring to the polls. We're also taking a look at how to vote by mail if you qualify.
On Election Day, voters in Jefferson, Orange, Chambers and Liberty Counties may vote at ANY polling location in their county while voters in other Southeast Texas counties will need to vote at their assigned precinct polling location. Scroll down for information on each county.
On election night all results will be posted at 12NewsNow.com/elections.
Keep reading for everything you need to know to cast your vote on November 5, 2024.
Election Day Information Voter eligibility, registration, vote by mail, id requirements, sample ballots for Nov 5
Who is eligible to vote?
In Texas, you’re eligible to vote if:
- You’re a U.S. citizen;
- You’re a resident of the county where you submit the application;
- You’re at least 17 years and 10 months old on the date your voter registration was submitted and 18 on election day;
- You’re not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole); and
- You have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
Voter Registration
Wondering if you are registered to vote? You can visit the Secretary of State website to find out.
How to register to vote
Complete a voter registration application and return it to your county election office at least 30 days before the election. Here’s how you can do it:
- You can complete your application using the Texas Secretary of State online voter registration application and print, sign and mail it to your county election office
- Request a printed application or;
- Contacting your local voter registrar to complete the registration process
Deadline to register to vote
The voter registration deadline for the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 7.
Who’s eligible to vote by mail?
In Texas you’re eligible to vote by mail if:
- 65 years or older on Election Day
- Sick or disabled
- Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
- Absent from the county of registration during the early voting period and on election day
- Civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code; or
- Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.
How to apply for a ballot by mail
You can get a formal application for a ballot by mail by:
- Downloading an application for a ballot by mail from the Texas Secretary of State’s website;
- visiting the Texas Secretary of State’s office; or
- The early voting clerk in your county.
To vote by mail, you must provide one of the following numbers on your application:
- Texas Driver’s License, Texas Personal Identification Number or Election Identification Certificate Number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (NOT your voter registration VUID number); OR
- If you have not been issued one of the numbers above, the last four digits of your Social Security Number
Voters can send applications to vote by mail to the early voting clerk by:
- In-person delivery
- Regular mail
- Common or contract carrier or
- Fax
Deadline to send in your application to vote by mail
The deadline to send in your application to vote by mail in the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 25.
Deadline to send in your mail-in ballot
Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. if the carrier envelope is not postmarked or Nov. 6 if the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the election location on election day (unless overseas or military voter deadlines apply.
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots
Jefferson County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Orange County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Hardin County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Jasper County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Tyler County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Newton County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Liberty County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Chambers County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Early voting begins Monday, October 21- Friday, November 1.
ELECTION RESULTS: CLICK HERE on November 5 after the polls close at 7 p.m.
Voter identification you'll need at the polls
Make sure you bring one of these accepted forms of identification with you when you go to vote:
- Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- United States Passport (book or card)
- United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
- United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
- Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
- Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
- Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
If you don't have one of the above IDs and can't reasonably obtain one you have another option at the polls. Fill out a declaration at the polls describing a reasonable impediment to obtaining one of the above IDs and show a copy or original of one of the following supporting forms of ID:
- A government document that shows your name and an address, including your voter registration certificate
- Current utility bill
- Bank statement
- Government check
- Paycheck or
- (a) A certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or
- (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes your identity (which may include a foreign birth document).
Which U.S. and Texas senators & representatives can I vote for?
If you're wondering who represents you and therefore who you can vote for in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Texas House and Texas Senate as well as the State Board of Education the state provides a simple way to look it up. You can see it on both the county level as well as by your specific address.
In most counties in Southeast Texas voters will all be voting for the same candidates so you can simply look up your representatives by just entering your county.
In Jefferson and Chambers County, searching by county will show you multiple districts for the U.S. Senate and House and the Texas House and Senate. You'll be able to click on any office that have multi-representatives to see on the map which parts of the county vote for which candidate.
If there's any question on who you will vote for simply search by your address instead of by the county.
Jefferson County There are three contested races in Jefferson County
In Jefferson County, in addition to races for U.S. House Districts 14 and 36 we're watching three local contested races.
Jefferson County: Early voting locations | Sample ballot
Jefferson County voters will be voting in five contested races including sheriff, tax assessor-collector and the Precinct One justice of the peace.
- Sheriff
- Steven Broussard - R
- Zena Stephens - D
- County Tax Assessor-Collector
- Kate Carroll - R
- Rashawn "Shawn" Webb-Locke - D
- Justice Of The Peace Precinct 1, Place 1
- Naomi Showers Doyle - D
- George Millhouse - I