With early voting for the 2026 midterm election starting Monday and Election Day just weeks away, here are a few things to remember before you head to the polls.
Voter ID requirements
Voters must bring one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID to vote in person. If you don’t have one, you can complete a Reasonable Impediment Declaration form online and present an alternative form of ID, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check, or voter registration certificate.
Here are the seven acceptable forms of ID, according to VoteTexas.gov:
- Texas Driver 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)
See exemptions or list of other forms of ID if you don’t have any of the ones mentioned above.
What else can I bring to the polls, and what’s not allowed?
- Along with your voter card, you can take written or printed material with you when you vote.
- Cell phones, cameras, tablets, laptops, sound recorders, or any other device that may be used to record sound or images should not be used at the polling place.
- Bringing a firearm into the polling place is prohibited. Only licensed peace officers may carry handguns into the polling place.
- Voters may also not wear candidate, measure, or political party apparel.
Polling locations
Voters can check early voting and Election Day voting locations by using VoteTexas’ voter portal online. There, you can enter your name, county, date of birth, and ZIP code to look up your registration information and nearest polling location.
This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.