Travis County elections officials estimate only about 25% of registered voters will cast a ballot this fall, keeping with the trend of lower voter turnout on off-year elections. But, that doesn't mean there aren’t important issues to weigh in on.
This guide is here to help inform you about what is on your ballot and make a plan to vote.
What’s on my ballot?
The biggest item on the ballot for Austin voters is Prop Q, a city of Austin tax increase that would generate $110 million for parks, homelessness services and public safety.
City officials said the tax increase is necessary due to lower-than-expected sales tax revenue and a loss in federal funding. However, some local groups, including the Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Real Estate Council of Austin, oppose the measure.
For more information on how Prop Q would affect city services and your wallet, read our explainer on the measure.
Travis County voters will also see 17 state constitutional amendments, including several property tax exemptions for landowners. Here's our guide on all the constitutional amendments.
Depending on where you live, your ballot might also include city council or mayoral races.
You can find a personalized ballot based on where you live by visiting the Vote 411 website.
Am I registered to vote?
You can verify your voter registration in Travis County using the Texas Secretary of State's My Voter Portal. The deadline to register for this election has passed. If you missed the deadline, you can get registered for the next election by visiting the Vote Texas website.
When and where can I vote?
Early voting in Travis County runs from Oct. 20 through 31. Travis County residents can vote at any polling location within the county. You can find an early polling location near you using the map below.
Times include:
- Monday, Oct. 20 — Saturday, Oct. 25 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
- Sunday, Oct. 26 (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
- Monday, Oct. 27 — Friday, Oct. 31 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
On the last two days of early voting, some polling locations will stay open until 10 p.m. to give folks extra time. You can find those on this list.
Travis County polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. As long as you're in line by 7 p.m., you can cast your ballot.
Don't forget your ID
Everyone who votes needs photo identification. Here are the accepted forms of ID:
- Texas driver's license
- Texas election identification certificate
- Texas personal identification card
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. military identification card that includes the person’s photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate that includes the person’s photograph
- U.S. passport
Voters' IDs should be up to date, but they can be expired for up to four years. Voters 70 or older can bring a photo ID that has been expired for any length of time.
If you don’t have an updated ID, there are several alternatives:
- government document showing your name and an address, such as your voter registration certificate
- current utility bill
- bank statement
- government check
- paycheck
- certified domestic birth certificate or court admissible birth document
All of these documents can be either a copy or the original. If you use one of these, you’ll have to sign a form that says you had a reasonable impediment to getting an ID.
What not to do at the polls
Remember that you can't use cellphones, cameras, computers or any kind of recording device in a room where people are voting. If you were planning to have some notes on your phone, print them out instead.
You also can't wear clothes or accessories relating to a candidate, political party or measure — even if they're not on the ballot.
Voting by mail
Not everyone is eligible to vote by mail. You have to apply, and the deadline is Oct. 24.
Registered voters in Texas can vote by mail if they:
- will be away from their county on Election Day and during early voting;
- are sick or disabled;
- are 65 or older on Election Day;
- are confined in jail, but eligible to vote; or
- are expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
You can print and complete an application here in English and here in Spanish, or submit an online request for it to be mailed to you. Fill out the required sections and sign your name with the date. Then, mail or hand deliver the completed application to the early voting clerk in your county. You can visit the Texas Secretary of State's website for more guidance.
The Austin-area League of Women Voters has also put together a guide to voting by mail for Central Texas residents, which you can find on the organization's website. You have to apply every election for a mail-in ballot, even if you did it last year.
Once you get your mail-in ballot, here are the deadlines to make sure your ballot is received on time:
- Postmarked: Nov. 4 by 7 p.m.
- Post received: Nov. 5 by 5 p.m.
- In-person received: Nov. 4 by 7 p.m.
You can only hand deliver a mail-in ballot to the county elections office on Election Day, and you will need to show a photo ID. A friend or relative is not allowed to turn your ballot in for you.
You can track the status of your mail-in ballot using Travis County's ballot tracker.
