Get more election news, key dates on KSAT’s Vote 2022 page.
Early voting is underway for the general, special, charter and bond election on Nov. 8.
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Tens of thousands of the 1.2 million registered voters in Bexar County have already cast their votes, and some are expressing confusion about why they weren’t required to show their voter registration card.
You may be surprised to learn that your voter registration card is not required to vote. So, why does the state mail them to voters?
You can basically think of your card as a receipt for your registration. You should automatically receive a new certificate every two years if you haven’t moved from the address where you are registered.
If you do move, you should update your information on your voter registration record online.
When you receive your voter registration certificate, you should check it to make sure your information is correct. If there is a mistake, make corrections and return it to the Voter Registrar immediately.
If you don’t have your voter registration card, you can notify your county voter registrar in writing to get a new one.
Your card will also tell you what voting precinct you’re in. While Bexar County voters no longer have to vote at the polling place within their precinct, your precinct number will help you figure out who represents you and which races will be on your ballot.
There are a few special circumstances that may require you to bring your voter registration card with you when you vote.
They include:
- If you lack an official form of photo ID
- Voters with a disability that have been granted a permanent exemption to the voter photo ID requirement
You can read more about those exceptions below.
What do you need to bring to the polls to vote?
While most voters won’t need their registration card, Texas voters are required to show identification to vote. Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:
- 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)
Your ID may be expired no more than four years unless you’re 70 years old, and then the acceptable form of ID can be expired for any length of time.
If a voter has one of the acceptable forms of IDs but forgets to bring it to the polling place, the voter can vote provisionally. That voter will then have six days to present a photo ID to the county voter registrar or fill out a natural disaster affidavit, or the vote will not count.
Exceptions
If you do not have one of the acceptable forms of ID and cannot reasonably obtain one, you can fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at your place of voting and must show one of the following supporting forms of ID:
- copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the 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).
Voters with a disability may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to the photo ID requirement.
If the exemption is granted, it will be noted on the person’s voter registration certificate. In this case, the voter will be required to present their voter registration card to vote.