City of Irving, TX

Voter Registration in Texas

Any United States Citizen May Vote ...

Provided that you are:

1. a resident of the county
2. at least 18 years of age on election day
3. registered to vote
4. not a convicted felon (unless two years have elapsed from the completion of the person's sentence, including any probation or parole)
5. not declared mentally incompetent by a court of law

You May Register To Vote At Anytime

• Complete a postage-free post card application and mail it, or take it in person to the voter registrar  in your county.
• You must be at least 17 years and ten months of age on the date of your application is received.
• Your application must be received 30 days before an election for you to be eligible to vote in that   election.
• Your spouse, parent or child (acting as an agent) may complete and sign a voter registration application for you, provided that this person is registered voter, or has applied for voter registration.
• To receive registration materials in the mail, please go here.

You Will Receive a Voter Registration Certificate Within 30 Days

• Check your certificate to make sure all information is correct. (If there is a mistake, immediately   make corrections and return it to the registrar.)
• Present your certificate at the polling place on election day.
• You will receive a color-coded certificate every two years.
• The color of the 1998-1999 voter registration certificate is blue and white.

Change of Address Moving Within the Same County:

Promptly notify the voter registrar in writing of your new address by:

1. Correcting the information on your current voter registration certificate and returning it to the voter registrar; or
2. Completing a voter registration change form (contact your county voter registrar or the Secretary of State's office for a form).

• Your spouse, parent or child (acting as an agent) may complete and sign a change address  form for you,  provided that this person is a registered voter, or has applied for registration.
• You will receive a new, corrected certificate.
• You will be able to vote in your new precinct 30 days after your notice has been received.

          Meanwhile:

• You may vote in your former precinct for one year after the date of change of residence or until your voter registration becomes effective in the new precinct, whichever is earliest.
• You must notify the voter registrar of your change of address as soon as possible, but not less than one year after moving.

Change of Address Moving to Another County:

• You must re-register! Complete an application and mail it or take it in person to the voter registrar in your  new county.
• You will be registered 30 days after your application is received.
• You will receive a new certificate.
• You may be eligible to vote a limited ballot in your new county of residence for 90 days after moving if:

1. you were qualified to vote in your former county at the time you moved;
2. there is an election in 90 days after moving; and
3. your registration in the new county is not yet effective.

• If you vote a limited ballot, you may vote on all statewide offices and propositions and for all district offices which are common to both counties.
• You must apply for a limited ballot and vote by personal appearance with the county clerk or elections administrator of your new county between the 20th day and 4th day before an election, or   by mail if you are already eligible to vote by mail.

Name Change:

• Promptly notify the voter registrar in writing of the change following the same steps for change of address.
• Your spouse, parent or child (acting as an agent) may complete and sign a change of name for you, provided that this person is a registered voter or has applied for registration.
• You will receive a new, corrected certificate 30 days after your notice is received.
• You may continue to vote. Vote by affidavit during this time if you used your certificate as your notice of name change.

If You Lose or Misplace Your Certificate:

• Notify the voter registrar in writing and they will issue a new one. 
• You may vote without your certificate by signing an affidavit at the polling place.

Volunteer Deputy Registrar:

• After you have become a registered voter, you may wish to become a volunteer deputy registrar applying with the voter registrar of your county.
  
  For more information or assistance, call the Secretary of State toll-free at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683)

Helpful Definitions

A county is composed of many county election precincts.  Voters are registered within a precinct according to their residence address.

• Affidavit is a sworn statement made before an authorized person.
• Agent is a spouse, parent or child who may register for you or change registration information for you.
• Voter Registrar in most counties, it is your Tax Assessor-Collector, whose responsibility includes voter registration. In some counties, it is the County Clerk or an Elections Administrator.
• Voting Station the voting booth or other place where voters mark their ballots or otherwise indicate their voters at a polling place.

Source for Voter Registration Information:
Elections Division of the Office of the Secretary of State http://www.sos.state.tx.us

Irving Public Library Branches also have voter registration forms in English and Spanish.