SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen is urging voters to make sure they’re registered to vote and do their research for what’s on the ballot in the Nov. 5 election.
Callanen held a news conference Monday to remind residents about important deadlines in the election.
Oct. 7 is the last day to register to vote. People can submit their voter registration applications in person at the Bexar County Election Department Office at 1103 S. Frio St. or by mail.
Click here for more information on how to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election.
The department will have extended hours on the following days to help people register to vote:
- Saturday, Oct. 5: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 6: Noon to 4 p.m.
- Monday, Oct. 7: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Callanen said that as of Monday, there were 1.2 million registered voters in Bexar County, the most ever for an election and surpassing the 2020 November election by 100,000.
She expects more residents will register as the deadline nears.
Another important deadline is Oct. 25 for people who plan to apply for a voting ballot by mail.
Callanen said that as of Monday, the elections office had processed 32,000 mail-in ballot applications, which is much lower than in 2020, when 121,000 were processed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Voters are also urged to prepare themselves prior to submitting their ballot.
Callanen said the November election ballot will be lengthy and will differ depending on where the voter lives. In addition to federal, state and county elections, many municipalities and school districts will also hold elections.
She suggests that voters visit the Bexar County Election Department website, where they can scan a QR code to download a sample ballot that will list the races they’re eligible to vote on. Doing so will save them time at the election site.
“We’re hoping that the voters be prepared before they get to that place to come and vote,” Callanen said. “Because it’s gonna be a long time for them if they’re looking at it for the first time.”
Callanen is also suggesting that voters take advantage of early voting, which runs from Oct. 21-Nov. 1.
She said voting early is a good idea due to the possibility of wet and/or cold weather on Election Day or the voter getting ill that day.
Callanen said that voters can avoid long lines at early voting sites by checking the Bexar County Election Department website for voting statistics that show how many people and where.
She said that the county will have 51 voting sites, the most ever for an election.
Visit KSAT’s Vote 2024 page for additional resources and stories on the upcoming election.