Registering to Vote in Texas
Voting is the constitutional right of every American and it’s important to make sure that you’re able to exercise that right, no matter what state you live in. In the hustle and bustle of moving, most people tend to forget that they need to change the information on their voter registration card. When you’re moving from state to state and even city to city, its important to update your information and understand what you need in order to register to vote in Texas. The McKinney movers have rounded up everything you need to know about changing your voter’s information!
Registering to Vote In Texas
The voter registration process is different in every state so make sure you know what you need to register to vote in Texas, specifically, so that you are able to participate in the 2020 elections. The local McKinney movers have listed the qualifications necessary so you’re eligible to vote:
• You are a United States citizen;
• You are a resident of the county where you submit the application;
• You are at least 17 years and 10 months old when you register and 18 years of age on Election Day.
• You are not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole)
• 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.
If you meet the above requirements, then you’re eligible to register to vote in Texas. If you think you are already registered to vote in Texas, you can confirm your registration with the following forms of identification:
• Your Texas driver’s license number, if you provided it when you applied for voter registration;
• Your Voter Unique Identifier (VUID), which appears on your voter registration certificate;
• Your first and last name.
Important 2020 Election Dates in Texas
If you’re planning a move to Texas and want to make sure that you’re able to register to vote in time to participate in the upcoming elections, our McKinney residential movers suggest marking the following important 2020 election dates in Texas on your calendar.
March 3, 2020: Texas Primary Runoff Election
Early voting begins on February 18th and ends on the 28th.
The voter registration deadline is February 3rd. If you are planning to request an absentee ballot, it must be received by February 21st and returned by March 4th by 5pm CST.
Changing the Information on Your Voter Registration Card in Texas
If you have recently moved, you will need to notify the Voter Registrar in writing, in the county of your new address. There are a few ways to go about doing so:
• Correct your current voter registration certificate on the back and return it to the Voter Registrar.
• Fill out a new voter registration application form and check the “change” box.
• When you apply for or change your Texas driver’s license, change your voter information at the same time.
• As long as you reside in the same county, you can change your information online at the Secretary of State’s Voter Registration Name/Address Change website. The changes will be forwarded to your county Voter Registrar for processing. Then you will be mailed a new certificate with your new address and you’ll be able to vote in your new precinct 30 days after you submitted the changes.
If you miss the 30-day deadline to change information on your voter registration certificate, you may vote in your former precinct as long as you still reside in the political subdivision conducting the election.1
If you are, or have, moved to a new county in Texas and you wish to be able to vote, you will need to re-register in your new county by mailing in a new application or taking your new application to the Voter Registrar. Your new voter registration certificate will take 30 days until it’s returned.
If you register late in your new county, you may be able to get a “limited” ballot on issues and candidates that are common between your old and new county. You may only vote this “limited” ballot after you have moved to your new residence, during the early voting period by personal appearance at the main early voting polling place (not on Election Day) or by mail (if otherwise qualified to vote by mail) and if:
• You are currently registered in your former county;
•You would be eligible to vote in your former county on Election Day if you were still living in that county;
•You have not re-registered in the new county, or, if you have re-registered, the effective date of the new registration will not be effective on or before Election Day.1
Once you have taken care of all you need to register to vote in Texas, contact All My Sons Moving & Storage to help you with the heavy lifting. We pride ourselves on being the best movers in Texas and know how to make a move easy!