Registering to Vote

To vote in a Harris County election, you must be registered to vote at least 30 days before the election date. To change your name or address, a completed and signed application is also required.

ELIGIBILITY FOR REGISTRATION:

To be eligible for registration as a voter in this state, a person must:

1. be 18 years of age* or older;
2. be a United States citizen;
3. not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be:
   • totally mentally incapacitated; or
   • partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
4. not have been finally convicted † of a felony or, if so convicted, must have:
   • fully discharged the person’s sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or
   • been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote; and
5. be a resident of the county in which application for registration is made.

* To be eligible to apply for registration, a person must, on the date the registration application is submitted to the registrar, be at least 17 years and 10 months of age and satisfy the above requirements except for age.

† A person is not considered to have been finally convicted of an offense for which the criminal proceedings are deferred without an adjudication of guilt.

CONFIRM YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

You may easily confirm your voter registration status by searching for it on our website or the Texas Secretary of State’s website. If you are currently living in Harris County but are registered to vote in another county, you must be registered to vote in Harris County at least 30 days prior to Election Day in order to vote in Harris County.

WHERE TO REGISTER TO VOTE

Registering to vote is fast and easy! Simply complete a Voter Registration Application and mail the signed application (at least 30 days before the election date) to:

ANN HARRIS BENNETT

Tax Assessor-Collector & Voter Registrar

P.O. Box 3527 Houston, Texas 77253-3527

OBTAIN A VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION BY THESE CONVENIENT WAYS:

1. Visit any Harris County Tax Office location and submit your completed, signed form from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
2. Download and print an application in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Chinese
3. Request an application online from the Texas Secretary of State.
4. Request, via e-mail at voters@ hctx.net, and our office will mail a paper application to you. Please provide a mailing address and phone number in your email. (Harris County Tax Office) 5. Call 713-274-VOTE (8683) to be assisted in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Chinese.
5. You can pick-up an application at your local U.S. Postal office, library, high school, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) site, Texas Health and Human Services Commission and other government offices.

Early Voting by Personal Appearance FAQ

WHAT DOES EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE MEAN?

Early Voting By Personal Appearance means that a registered voter in Texas may vote prior to General Election Day during a period designated by state law.

WHEN DOES EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE TAKE PLACE?

Texas Election Code: Sec. 85.001. EARLY VOTING PERIOD.

1. General Election: During a General Election the period for early voting by personal appearance begins on the 17th day before Election Day and continues through the fourth day before Election Day, except as otherwise provided.
2. Runoff Election: The Early Voting Period for a special runoff election for the office of state senator or state representative or for a runoff primary election begins on the 10th day before election day.
3. If the date prescribed by Subsection (a) or (b) for beginning the period is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state holiday, the early voting period begins on the next regular business day.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE EARLY BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE?

Any qualified voter may vote early by personal appearance. No reason is needed. Notice of Order Priority

WHERE CAN A REGISTERED VOTER IN HARRIS COUNTY VOTE DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD?

Any qualified voter may vote in person at the main early voting polling place or at any other designated early voting branch location during designated times. Usually, there are numerous early voting locations in Harris County during the conduct of a countywide election.

WHY WAS THE PERIOD FOR EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE ESTABLISHED?

Early Voting by Personal Appearance was introduced in Texas in the mid-1990s to make voting more convenient for the citizenry. It also provides voters who may be away from the county of residence on Election Day the opportunity to vote in person.

HOW ARE EARLY VOTING SITES DESIGNATED?

By law, in counties with a population of 400,000 or more, the commissioners court has the authority to establish at least one early voting site at each state representative district.

EARLY VOTING IN-PERSON: LIMITED BALLOT

A registered voter in the state of Texas may qualify to vote a limited ballot at the main early voting site during the early voting period in a federal and state election. For more information see section 112.001 to 112.0012 of the Texas Election Code.