Texas election 2023: Houston-area polling places, sample ballot highlights, voter registration status

HOUSTON - Texans will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to vote for local leaders, city and county issues and propositions to amend the Texas Constitution.

Before you head to the polls, there are several things you need to know including where you can vote, what to take with you and how to check your registration status.

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What time can I vote in Texas on Election Day?

Polls will be open on Nov. 7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Find my polling place: Voting locations in Houston, Southeast Texas

FILE PHOTO. (Photo by Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

Registered voters must vote in their county of residence. Some counties have countywide polling places, which means you can cast your ballot at any voting center in the county. In other counties, you can only vote at the precinct that is assigned to you.

Find your county's voting locations with the links below.

What’s on the ballot? See sample ballots for candidates, Texas constitutional amendments

Houston Mayoral Election

Houston residents will vote for their next mayor this election. Due to term limits, Mayor Sylvester Turner cannot run for re-election. Click here to see the candidates. Houston's voters will also elect a city controller and city council members.

Texas Constitutional Amendments

There will also be 14 propositions to amend the Texas Constitution on the ballot. Click here to see an explanation of each proposition.

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WATCH: Breaking down every Texas constitutional amendment proposition

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WATCH: Breaking down every Texas constitutional amendment proposition

Early voting for the November 7 election starts Monday, October 23.

Sample Ballots by County

Aside from elections for local leaders, voters in some counties will be able to vote on bond issues, which will affect local infrastructure and development.

You can check your sample ballot before you head to the polls to see the full list of races and candidates you will be voting for:

Am I registered to vote?

Behind-the-scenes look at Harris County's election night

As the anticipation builds for the upcoming elections, the Harris County Clerk's Office offers a unique opportunity to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Election Night.

You can check your voter registration status on the Texas Secretary of State website, here.

To check your voter registration status, you will need to provide your date of birth and one of the following:

• Your name and county

• Your Voter Unique Identifier

• Your Texas Driver’s License number

The website can also provide you with other helpful information like your polling locations and sample ballots.

In order to vote in this election, you must have registered by Oct. 10.

Who can vote in Texas?

You must be registered in order to vote in Texas. You are eligible to register to vote in Texas if the following apply to you:

• 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, and you are 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.

What if I don't have my Voters' Registration Card?

You can still vote without your voter registration card. When voting in person, you can use one of the seven acceptable forms of photo identification:

• Texas driver's license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

• Texas election identification certificate issued by DPS

• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS

• Texas handgun license issued by DPS

• United States Military ID card with photo

• United States citizenship certificate with photo

• United States passport (book or card)

Can I vote by mail in Texas?

Not everyone can vote by mail in Texas. It is limited to voters who are one of the following:

• 65 years of age or older on Election Day;

• Sick or disabled;

• Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day;

• Absent from the county of registration during the Early Voting period and on Election Day;

• Civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code; or

• Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible

For the Nov. 7, 2023 election, the last day your application to vote by mail could have been received by your Early Voting Clerk was Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

What's the deadline for completed mail ballots?

Completed mail ballots must be received by your early voting clerk by 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 if the envelope is not postmarked. It can be received by 5 p.m. Nov. 8 if the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on Nov. 7.

You can track the status of your completed mail ballot by clicking here.

Election Houston Texas Harris County Galveston County Austin County Brazoria County Montgomery County Fort Bend County