Voters have been thinking about the presidential election for months. Local races down the ballot don't usually get as many eyes. But in the Austin area, major positions like Austin mayor and Travis County district attorney, plus multimillion-dollar funding proposals for schools and child care, are up for a vote.
If you care about the cost of housing in your neighborhood, the way that roads are built and changed, or how much money teachers get paid — these local races are where you can make a difference.
Here’s what you need to know.
What's on the ballot?
KUT has put together voter guides for three counties. Each guide has information on the biggest races in the area, plus links to sample ballots:
Want to see your personalized sample ballot? Type in your address below or click this link.
Important dates
- Oct. 21 to Nov. 1 — Early voting
- Oct. 25 — Deadline to submit a mail-in ballot application (received, not postmarked)
- Nov. 5 — Election Day
Am I registered to vote?
You can go to the Texas Secretary of State's website to check your registration anywhere in the state. If it turns out you're not registered, the deadline for this election has passed — but you can visit the Vote Texas site to learn how to register for future elections.
When and where can I vote?
You have to vote at a polling location in the county where you live.
On Election Day, Travis, Williamson and Hays County voting locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you're in line by the time polls close, you can cast your ballot.
Find a map for Travis County polls and live wait times below. (If the map doesn't appear correctly, try refreshing the page or clicking here.)
Find Williamson County voting locations on the county's website.
Find Hays County voting locations on the county's website.
What do I bring with me to the polls?
Make sure to bring a photo ID when you vote. Acceptable forms of ID include:
- Texas driver's license
- Texas election identification certificate
- Texas personal identification card
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. military identification card that includes your photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate that includes your photograph
- U.S. passport
The ID can be expired for up to four years. If you're 70 or older, you can bring a photo ID that has been expired for any length of time.
If you had trouble getting an ID, here are the alternatives you can bring to the polls:
- government document showing your name and an address, such as your voter registration certificate
- current utility bill
- bank statement
- government check
- paycheck
- certified birth certificate or court admissible birth document
All of these documents can either be 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 within 100 feet of voting booths. 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 on the ballot.
Voting by mail?
In Texas, you can vote by mail only if you:
- won't be in the county you're registered in during early voting and on Election Day
- are sick or disabled
- are expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
- are 65 or older on Election Day
- are in prison or civil commitment, but are otherwise eligible
The deadline to submit a request for a mail-in ballot was Oct. 25. To vote by mail, print the “Application for Ballot by Mail” 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 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 voters, which you can find on the organization's website.
Once you get your mail-in ballot, there are some extra deadlines you should keep in mind to make sure your ballot is received on time:
- Postmarked: Nov. 5 by 7 p.m.
- Post received: Nov. 6 by 5 p.m.
- In-person received: Nov. 5 by 7 p.m.
If you hand deliver your mail-in ballot to the county elections office, you will need to show a photo ID.
Once you’ve returned your mail-in ballot, you can check its status on the Texas Secretary of State's website.
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