LGBTQIA+ Voting Rights

Make sure you are eligible and registered. For the basics on who can register, how to apply, and deadlines, read Voter Registration Basics.

You must be a U.S. citizen, live in the county where you register, and be 18 by Election Day.

Some court orders about capacity, such as guardianship, can affect voting. Only a judge can decide a person does not have the capacity to vote, although some people under guardianship can still keep the right to vote. For more information about disability rights and voting, see Disability Rights Texas.

People who have multiple addresses, such as college students, may be able to choose where they register to vote. You may be able to register with your school address or a permanent address, like your parents’ house.

If you are registering in another state, you will need to check that state’s registration rules.

If you register to vote in Texas but will not be living at that address during the election, you may be able to vote early by mail.

Texas has a 30-day deadline before Election Day.

Texas Election Code 13.143..

You can check your registration on the Texas Secretary of State's My Voter Portal.

This isn’t an official record, but it should be kept up to date. You can check the official record with your county’s Voter Registrar.

Apply with your county voter registrar, by mail, or through a Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR). Texas does not have online registration, but you can fill out a form online and mail it in.

Gender on the voter registration form is optional. If you choose to mark it, using the gender that matches your ID can help prevent confusion at the polling place.

If you moved within the same county, update your address; if you moved to a new county, you must register there. In some cases, you may vote a “limited ballot” during early voting. Get the steps in Voter Registration Basics. For help finding your polling place, read Voting in Texas: Tools and Tips.

You can update your voter registration after a legal name change. You can only update a gender marker on your birth certificate because of a "proven incompletion or inaccuracy." See how to update your record at the Secretary of State's Voter Name and Address Changes page.

You may be able to vote, depending on your situation. In Texas, people convicted of a felony regain their right to vote once they’ve fully completed their sentence—including any prison time, parole, supervision, or probation (sometimes called being “off paper”).

If you’ve finished your sentence or received a pardon, you can register and vote in Texas.

See Texas Election Code 11.002(4) and the website of the Office of the Texas Secretary of State.

Texas holds elections on set dates each year, which are available on the Texas Secretary of State’s Important Election Dates page.

Poll hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day (see Texas Elections Code 41.031), but hours during early voting may vary by county. Check with your county election officials, or search the League of Women Voters website (www.Vote411.org) to find your polling site.

Some counties let you vote at any location on Election Day; others require your assigned precinct. Your county election registrar might list the polling places. And these tools can help you figure out where to vote:

• Texas Poll Locator
• Vote411 (type in your address and click on the "submit" button to find out what will be on your ballot and where to vote).

Texas has strict photo ID rules, but there may be options if you don’t have one. For acceptable photo IDs, what to do if yours is expired, and what to do if you don’t have an ID, read Voter ID in Texas.

Maybe. The rules depend on your age and how long the ID has been expired. Texas Election Code 63.0101(a)(1); 63.0101(c).

No, your voter registration and ID should not have to match in order for you to vote. Election workers should compare all information they have available to decide if you are the registered voter based on your ID, including the address, date of birth, and photograph.

As long as the names are substantially similar, you should be allowed to vote with a regular ballot. However, you may be asked to sign a “substantially similar name” affidavit. You can see examples of what counts as a similar name on the Secretary of State’s website.

You can go get it, or you may be offered a provisional ballot. See how provisional ballots work in Voting in Texas: Tools and Tips, and review ID options in Voter ID in Texas.

You may be able to use a “Reasonable Impediment Declaration” with a supporting document (like a utility bill or bank statement). See the steps and acceptable supporting IDs in Voter ID in Texas.

Some voters can vote by mail (for example, age 65+, certain disabilities, or being out of the county). See who qualifies, how to apply, and how to track your ballot in Voting in Texas: Tools and Tips.

Polling places must be accessible. You can request curbside voting if you cannot enter the polling place. You may bring an interpreter (with some limits). Read Voters With Disabilities. For disability voting rights, see Disability Rights Texas.

Your name, birth date, and address are usually public voter information. Some survivors of family violence, sexual assault, stalking, or trafficking—and certain government employees—can request address confidentiality. Ask your county voter registrar about confidentiality options and the Attorney General’s Address Confidentiality Program.

If you are told you cannot vote, or you feel intimidated, ask for help and call an election protection hotline. See the hotline list and steps in Voting in Texas: Tools and Tips. You can often cast a provisional ballot and then fix issues within the deadline.

You have rights that protect your ability to vote:

• Know Your Voting Rights
• Voting Rights for Voters with Special Needs

You are only entitled to paid time off for voting under very limited circumstances, according to guidance from the Texas Workforce Commission. You may have at least two paid hours off to vote on an election day unless you have already voted during early voting, or have at least two consecutive hours to vote outside of your normal working hours.

See Texas Elections Code 276.004.

If you feel someone is interfering with your right to vote, you can contact an Election Protection Hotline:

• English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
• Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
• Asian Languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, and Tagalog): 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
• Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (866-925-5287)
• ASL Video Call: 301-818-VOTE (301-818-8683)

Disability Rights Texas: 888-796-VOTE (888-796-8683).