Voters’ how-to: What to bring and not to bring, what not to wear, and transportation options.
ID required for voters to cast ballot; sites to be open until 7 p.m.
After record early voting, hundreds of thousands of voters will head to the polls in the Houston area on Tuesday, pushing turnout to an expected 1 million or more in Harris County for the first time in a midterm election.
Scores of races are on the ballot, from a hotly contested U.S. Senate contest to other statewide races including governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. Locally, 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for grabs, as well as more than two dozen in the state Legislature, in addition to countywide and judicial offices.
Here’s what you need to know to vote.
Voting hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters in line when polls close will be permitted to cast a ballot.
Weather: Mostly cloudy skies and highs in the low 80s, with a 20 percent change of showers after 3 p.m.
Polling places: Residents must vote at their assigned polling location. For more info and to view sample ballots, visit HarrisVotes.com (Harris County); GalvestonVotes.org (Galveston County); MontgomeryVotes.com (Montgomery County); FortBendVotes.com (Fort Bend County); BrazoriaCountyVotes.com (Brazoria County); and Co.Chambers.tx.us (Chambers County.) Bring identification: Under the Texas Voter ID Law, voters must present one of the following forms of identification: Texas driver’s license; Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas license to carry
a handgun issued by DPS; U.S. citizenship certificate containing the person's photograph; Texas personal identification card issued by DPS; U.S. military identification card containing the person's photograph; U.S.
passport; or certified birth certificate. A voter who does not have a valid ID may present a copy of an original bank statement, government check or paycheck, utility bill or government document that includes name
and What address. not to take: Voters cannot use electronic devices, such as cellphones or tablets, in the voting booth. Residents can bring printed voting guides or other literature to help them cast their ballot. What not to wear: Voters are prohibited from wearing clothing or pins promoting candidates or campaigns inside the polling place. Language assistance: Harris County provides translation services in Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Voters who speak another language are permitted to bring a translator of their choice.
Transportation: Metro is offering free rides on buses and light rail for residents traveling to and from their polling place. Lyft and Uber are also offering discounts for rides to the polls.