How do I register to vote in Texas?

To register to vote in Texas a person must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county where the application is submitted, at least 17 years and 10 months old when the application is submitted and 18 by Election Day, not a convicted felon unless the sentence, probation, and parole are complete, and not declared by a court to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote. All five conditions must be met to register. A person may submit an application at 17 years and 10 months so long as they will be 18 on Election Day.

Register by Monday October 5, 2026, since the 30-day deadline falls on a Sunday and moves to the next business day. The Secretary of State announced 18,657,918 registered voters eligible to vote in the March 3, 2026 Primary Election.

Under Texas Election Code Section 12.001, the county tax assessor-collector is the voter registrar for the county unless the county has created the position of county elections administrator or has designated the county clerk as voter registrar. This determines which county official maintains the registration rolls and processes applications.

Texas Senate Bill 1862, effective September 1, 2025, requires voter registration applications to include the previous residence address of the applicant and directs voter registrars to submit registration data to the Secretary of State each month.

A registered Texas voter who has not moved from the address on file automatically receives a new voter registration certificate every two years. The certificate is the voter's proof of registration and shows the assigned precinct. If a voter does not receive one, they can request a replacement in writing from the county voter registrar. A voter should correct any error on the certificate and return it to the registrar.

A Texan with a felony conviction may register and vote once the sentence is fully completed, including any incarceration, parole, supervision, or probation. The VoteTexas.gov registration FAQ states: "Once you have completed the punishment phase (including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by the court), you would be eligible to register and vote in the state of Texas." No separate application to restore rights is required.