Early voting for the December runoff elections ends Friday for many Central Texas voters.
Not sure what’s on your ballot or where to go to vote during the pandemic? Here’s everything you need to know.
Make Sure You’re Registered.
You can go here to verify your registration anywhere in the state. The deadline to register to vote in the December runoffs has passed.
What’s On The Ballot?
Travis County residents:
- Districts 6 and 10 on the Austin City Council (Find your district.)
- District 5 and the at-large seat on the Austin Independent School District’s Board of Trustees (Find your district.)
- Find a sample ballot here.
Williamson County residents:
- District 6 on the Austin City Council (Find your district.)
- District 2 on the Georgetown City Council (Find your district.)
- Find sample ballots here.
Hays County residents:
- Mayor of Kyle
- Mayor of San Marcos
- Place 5 on the San Marcos City Council
- Find sample ballots here.
When And Where Can I Vote?
Travis County residents:
- Early voting begins Thursday, Dec. 3, and runs until Friday, Dec. 11. Election Day is Tuesday, Dec. 15.
- Find polling locations here.
Williamson County residents:
- Early voting begins Thursday, Dec. 3 and ends Friday, Dec. 11. Election Day is Tuesday, Dec. 15.
- Find polling locations here.
Hays County residents:
- Early voting began Saturday, Nov. 28, and ends Friday, Dec. 4. Election Day is Tuesday, Dec. 8.
- Find polling locations here.
Don’t Forget Your ID
Make sure to bring a photo ID. The ID should be up to date or expired up to four years. Voters 70 or older can bring a photo ID that has been expired for any length of time.
If you had trouble getting an ID and can’t get one, here are some alternatives:
- government document showing your name and an address, such as your voter registration certificate
- current utility bill
- bank statement
- government check
- paycheck
- birth certificate
If you use one of these, you’ll have to sign a form that says you had a reasonable impediment to getting an ID.
COVID-19 Precautions
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, you should wear a face covering at the polls, wash your hands before and after voting and keep at least 6 feet between yourself and others. Make sure you don’t feel sick before you go to vote in person.
Counties are implementing safety measures, like installing plexiglass barriers and giving voters finger coverings or wooden sticks so they don’t have to directly touch the voting machines.
Voting By Mail?
Friday, Dec. 4, is the last day Travis and Williamson county voters have to apply for a mail-in ballot. The county has to receive the application by this date; it can’t just be postmarked with this date. Find applications and where to send them here (Travis residents) and here (Williamson residents). The deadline for Hays County residents has passed.
Williamson and Travis county residents can check the status of their mail-in ballots online.
Mail-in ballots must be received by the county where you reside by 5 p.m. the day after Election Day (as long as they’re postmarked on or before Election Day). It’s recommended you mail in your completed ballot at least seven days before Election Day to ensure it gets there on time.
You can also hand deliver your mail-in ballot to your county elections office — but ONLY on Election Day by 7 p.m. There aren’t drive-thru hand delivery locations throughout early voting like there were for the Nov. 3 election.
- Travis County: 5501 Airport Boulevard, Austin
- Williamson County: 301 SE Inner Loop, Georgetown
- Hays County: 712 South Stagecoach Trail, Ste. 1012, San Marcos
Remember: You can only drop off your own ballot, and you’ll have to show ID and sign a roster.
Got a tip? Email Marisa Charpentier at mcharpentier@kut.org. Follow her on Twitter @marisacharp.
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