Elections Administration / Voter Registration

FAQs

Please Note:  The Texas Election Code can be accessed online at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/conducting/index.shtml.  It is listed under “Notable Links”. QUESTION ANSWER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION How do I know if I am registered in Denton County? You can check our web site under the Voter Registration Database Search.  If your name does not appear then you are not registered Click Voter Registration Database Search Enter your name and date of birth Why is my status “suspense”?   You have been sent some type of correspondence from this office that was returned by the Post Office indicating you have moved.  You will need to submit a written notice of address change to our office.  If you do not, you will be cancelled.   Do I have to have my voter registration card to vote”? No, you do not need your voter registration certificate to vote, however, you do have to have some form or identification, such as your driver’s license or Texas ID. Other acceptable forms of identification: Passport Utility bill Correspondence from a government agency   How do I get registered to vote in Denton County?   You will need to complete a Voter Registration Application and turn it in to our office.  We can mail you the form or come by our office for one.  Some Post Offices and other county government offices have applications available and you can print one online. www.sos.state.tx.us Click Elections & Voter Information Click Request a Voter Registration Application Click open this form under the Informal      Application heading Complete the application, print it, sign it, and mail or bring it to our office. How can I register under a certain party?   You do not register by party in Texas.  When a party holds their primary, you simply vote in their election.  Once you have voted in their primary election, you are affiliated with that party for one voting year.  Voting in a Primary does not effect your voting in the General Election.  Texas Election Code Sec. 162 When is the last day to register to vote and be eligible in the next election? You must be registered 30 (thirty) days prior to an election.  If you register by mail, your application must be post marked by the deadline date.  Please note: if you put your application in a mail drop-off box and it is after their pickup time, your application will be postmarked the following day and you will NOT be eligible to vote.  It must be postmarked by the Post Office by the deadline date.   Texas Election Code Sec. 13.143 (d) Where do I send my voter application Mailing: Elections Administration P.O. Box 1720 Denton, TX 76202 Physical: Joseph A. Carroll Administration Building 401 W. Hickory Street Denton, TX 76201   I turn 18 after the deadline date but before election day.  Can I register and vote in the election? You can register up to 60 days before you are 18.  You must submit your Voter Registration Application before the 30 day deadline date Texas Election Code Sec. 13.001 (b)   Can I transfer my registration from my old county? No, you must complete a new Voter Registration Application each time you change counties.   Do I need to re register every time I move?   You do not need to register again if you are a current Denton County resident, however,  you do need to change your address with our office each time you move. If you are currently registered outside Denton County, you will need to complete a Voter Registration Application for Denton County. You can use the back of your Denton County voter registration certificate to change your address.  Put the correct information on the certificate, sign it and send it to our office. You can also go online through the Secretary of State’s web page. www.sos.state.tx.us Click Elections & Voter Information Click You may change your name or      Address online Click Continue Provide the information and follow the steps How can I get a new voter registration card?   You will need to contact our office and we will print you a new certificate.   Is there a fee to register to vote? There is no registration fee   Who are my representatives?   What districts am I in? Use the Voter Registration Database Search tool on our web page.  When you locate your record, click the Certificate # and your districts will be shown.  Links are provided, when possible, so you can click the district to find your representative. Your districts are also listed on your Voter Registration Certificate. Elections.dentoncounty.com Click Voter Registration Database Search Enter required information, hit Enter Once your name comes up, click on your certificate number and the page with your districts will show.   What is my precinct number?     You can do a Voter Registration Database Search from our web page.  Once you have entered your name & date of birth, your record will appear.  Click on the Certificate # and your information will be shown.  The Voter line is your precinct number (0100=Precinct 100).  Your other districts are also listed on this page. Elections.dentoncounty.com Click Voter Registration Database Search Enter required information, hit Enter Once your name comes up, click on your certificate number and the page with your districts and precinct number will be shown   Can I vote by mail?   Voting by mail is restricted.  You are entitled to vote by mail if you are over 65 years old, disabled, incarcerated, or will be out of the county on election day.  If you vote by mail due to absence from the county, your ballot must be mailed to an out of county address Texas Election Code Sec. 84 Can I vote at my new precinct or do I have to drive all the way to my old precinct to vote?   If you moved within the county and did not change your address prior to the 30 day deadline date, you must vote at your old precinct. In this situation it may be advantageous for you to vote early at the early voting location most convenient to you. Texas Election Code Sec. 11.004 Can I bring my mailed ballots in instead of mailing them to you?   No, you must mail the ballots to our office.  If you receive a mail ballot and decide not to use that method of voting, you will need to bring your ballot to the voting location and surrender it to the election worker prior to voting in person.=   Can I bring my children with me when I vote?   Yes, you may have your children with you to the voting area as long as they are under 18.  Once they are 18 they must remain outside the voting area, unless they are voting.   I live in another county, Can I vote here? No, you will need to vote in the county where you live.   When is Early Voting?   Early voting starts 15 days prior to election day and ends 4 days prior to election day.  Weekend voting is required for Primary and General elections, it is not required for Constitutional Amendment elections   What’s on the ballot? That depends on the year.  Generally speaking, for County held election, even numbered years will have elections for Federal, State, and local officers, odd numbered years will have Constitutional Amendment elections.  Some city and school issues may also be on the November ballot.   Who is running in my districts? Once the deadline has passed and sample ballots are available, we will have copies of the sample ballots on our web page.   The deadline for running in the Primary Election is usually January 2nd of even numbered years. Click the current election Click Sample Ballots Click your precinct number I’ve recently moved, can I vote in the next election?   Yes, however, your voting options will be different depending on your circumstance.  If you are currently registered in Denton County you will have to vote at your previous precinct.  If you are currently registered in another Texas county, you will have to vote a limited ballot at the main early voting location in Denton during the early voting time period.  If you are not registered in Texas, you can vote a provisional ballot. The early voting ballot board will review your affidavit and make a decision on whether or not to count your ballot. Texas Election Code, Sec. 11.004, 112.002 Can I bring my sample ballot to the polls?   Yes, you can bring any material with you, but please remember to take it with you when you leave the voting station   How do I know my vote counted on the electronic machine? Testing is done prior to each election to ensure the votes are counting correctly.  Votes cast electronically are recorded on the electronic device and the judge’s booth controller.  We can also print out a cast vote record from both of these machines after the election.  It does not connect a vote record with a person.  Optic scan ballots are counted when you slide them through the machine.      Do we get a receipt from the electronic machines?   No, you do not.  You will have an access code and if you want, you may keep that code.  We cannot print a receipt of your vote, that is not legal since it could open the door to voter fraud (bribery, vote buying, etc)     Is the access code connected to the voter?   No.  The access code is not written down by the voter’s name and it is not imprinted on the electronic record of the vote.  It is simply used to bring the correct ballot style up on the screen for the voter.  The voter can take this code with them when they leave the voting location.  The number can only be used one time.      How do I know when the elections are? When is the next election? With the exception of special elections to fill vacancies, all elections are either held on the 2nd Saturday in May (usually the City & ISD elections) or the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November (General and Constitutional Amendment elections)         How do I get a ballot by mail We must have a written request.  We can send you an Application for Mail Ballot or you can write the information required and send it to us.  Required information:  1. Your name 2. Date and Type of election 3. Denton County address 4.  Address were the ballot will be mailed (must be an out of county address if the reason for voting is absence from the County) 5 Reason you are requesting a mail ballot 6. Your signature.  More than one person can request a ballot by mail in a letter, however, we must have a signature for every person. For a regular ballot by mail, you can send your request in 60 days prior to an election.  Federal Post Card Applications (FPCA) used by military personnel or any citizen overseas, can mail their FPCA into our office any time during the year.  What is a provisional ballot? A provisional ballot is used when a person presents themselves for voting but due to circumstances, cannot be quickly verified as a qualified voter.  It allows the person to vote and gives the Voter Registration office time after the election to verify if the person is eligible to vote.  If they are not eligible to vote, it will register them as a voter and they will be ready for the next election.   Will my vote count if I vote a provisional ballot? That will be determined by the Early Voting Ballot Board (EVBB).  After the election, the information from the Provisional Voter Affidavit will be looked up by the Voter Registration Office.  Depending on 1) the reason you voted by provisional ballot and 2) the outcome of the research by the Voter Registration office, the EVBB will make the decision to count the vote or not.  Regardless of the outcome, you will be notified by mail.   I’m registered to vote in another county and live in Denton County; can I vote in the next election?   What is a Limited Ballot? Yes, you can vote in this county on a Limited Ballot.  A limited ballot is used when someone is currently registered to vote in another Texas county but has moved to another county.  A person is allowed to vote in their new county, but is limited to vote only on the candidates/issues that would have also been on their previous county’s ballot.  This will cancel your registration in the previous county and registers you in the current county Texas Election Code Sec. 112.001 What if I am in the hospital and want to vote You can vote by mail.  You can have someone bring you a ballot, however there are guidelines and a time period for that type of voting.  Please contact our office for details. Texas Election Code Sec.1012.001 Where is my polling location?   Once the polling locations are set we will list them on our web page.  The locations may also be published in your local paper as a public service.   I know what my precinct number is but what are the numbers after the period? Those numbers are for internal office use.  They determine the different “subs” of your precinct, such as city, school district, water district, etc.   Can I vote for a write-in candidate?   Yes. On a paper ballot there will be a box to mark and a line for you to write the candidate's name. On the eSlate (electronic voting machine) you will mark the Write-In box and it will bring up a screen of letters for you to use to spell the candidate's name. A list of certified write-in candidates is posted in each booth. Only names on the list of certified write-in candidates will be counted.