Early voting begins on Oct. 19 in Texas. Here's what to know

Early voting for the November election begins across the Lone Star State Monday and runs through Oct. 30.

Registered, eligible voters can cast their ballots early in person without needing a special reason.

What are the early voting hours in Texas?

Dig deeper:

Early voting hours vary by county and location, but polling places have a minimum number of hours they must be open under state law.

Oct. 19-23: At least 9 hours each weekday
Oct. 24: At least 12 consecutive hours
Oct. 25: At least 6 consecutive hours
Oct. 26-30: At least 12 consecutive hours each weekday.

These requirements are only in place for the main polling locations and there is not a uniform statewide schedule. Voters should check with their county's election website for specific hours.

Where can you vote early in Texas?

Registered voters can cast their ballot at any designated early voting location in the county where they are registered.

To double-check in your specific county, visit the Am I Registered portal on the Secretary of State’s website during the early voting period. It will list the locations where you can vote early.

Find an early voting location in your county

In most counties, you can vote early at any voting center in the county you're registered in. To find early voting locations in your county, go to the county election office's website.

DFW area early voting

Austin area early voting

Travis County

Williamson County

Early Voting Locations

Hays County

Vote Center Location List & Schedule

Houston, Southeast Texas early voting locations

What's on the ballot?

Why you should care:

Voters will choose several federal, state and local offices this election.

Races might also be held for lower-level judges and county offices depending on where you live.

When is Election Day in Texas?

Election day is Nov. 3, 2026.

When are polls open on election day?

The polls in Texas are open from 7 a.m. on the date of the election until 7 p.m. Anyone in line at the time the polls close will be allowed to cast their ballot.

Do I need an ID to vote in Texas?

In order to vote in person during early voting or on election day, Texas voters will be asked to present an acceptable form of photo ID. 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)

Here is a list of the supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter does not possess an acceptable form of photo identification and cannot reasonably obtain one:

Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and address, including the voter’s 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
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)

For more information on acceptable forms of ID and what you can do if you do not have one, click here.

Can you vote with an expired ID?

If you have a form of acceptable photo ID and are between the ages of 18 and 69, your ID must be current or expired for no more than 4 years to qualify to vote.

For voters 70 and older, your photo ID can be expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise okay.

How to report voting issues

If you have problems or questions, you can call the Secretary of State’s toll-free election hotline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683) or email elections@sos.texas.gov.

To file a formal complaint, download the complaint form here. It can be submitted by mail, fax, or email.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Texas Secretary of State's Office.

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