2022 Texas midterm election guide: Where to vote in Houston area, sample ballots

What you need to know for Election Day in Harris County

Nadia Hakim, Deputy Director of Communications for the Harris County Elections Administration, shares everything voters need to know when heading to the polls on Election Day.

HOUSTON - Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to determine Texas' governor for the next four years and vote for several other statewide and local leaders.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

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.

Am I registered to vote in Texas?

In order to vote in Texas, you must be a registered voter. To see if you're already registered to vote, click 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

In Texas, you must register to vote by the 30th day before Election Day. The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 Election, including the Texas governor’s race, was Oct. 11, 2022.

EXPLAINER: Texas' voting rights for previously convicted felons

What photo ID do I need to vote?

In order to vote in person, Texas voters will be asked to present an acceptable form of photo ID. Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:

• 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 Identification Card containing the person’s photograph

• United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph

• United States Passport (book or card)

For voters aged 18 to 69 years, photo ID can be expired for up to four years. For voters aged 70 and older, photo ID can be expired for any length of time if otherwise valid.

If you don’t have one of these acceptable forms of photo ID and can’t reasonably obtain one, you may qualify for a Reasonable Impediment Declaration by showing a copy or original of one of the following approved IDs:

• Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate;

• Copy of or original current utility bill;

• Copy of or original bank statement;

• Copy of or original government check;

• Copy of or original paycheck; or

• Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document).

After presenting one of these supporting forms of ID, the voter must execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration.

Click here for more information on acceptable forms of ID and what you can do if you do not have one.

FILE PHOTO. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Who is on the ballot in Texas? Governor race and more

Texans across the state will be voting for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller of public accounts, commissioner of the General Land Office, railroad commissioner and commissioner of agriculture.

You will also have other races on your ballot that are specific to where you live that may include city and county leaders, state representatives and senators, and judges.

In Harris County, the largest county in Texas, voters will be electing the next county judge.

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:

Where to vote in Texas: Voting locations near me

You can find the polling locations for your county at the following links.

Can I vote by mail?

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. 8, 2022 Midterm Election, the last day your application to vote by mail could have been received by your Early Voting Clerk was Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

MORE: Am I registered to vote in Texas? How to check registration status

What's the deadline for completed mail ballots?

Completed mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. Nov. 8 if the envelope is not postmarked.

It can be received by 5 p.m. Nov. 9 if it is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on Nov. 8.

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

Texas Midterm Elections 2022 important dates

• Election Day: Nov. 8

• Last day to Receive Ballot by Mail: Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. if carrier envelope is not postmarked; OR Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on Election Day (unless overseas or military voter deadlines apply)

PAST DATES

• Oct. 24: First Day of Early In-Person Voting: Oct. 24

• Oct. 28: Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked): Oct. 28

• Last Day of Early In-Person Voting: Nov. 4