Friday, March 29, 2024 Mar 29, 2024
60° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement
Local News

Everything You Need to Know About Voting on Election Day

Voters who haven't cast ballots yet have until 7 p.m. Tuesday to do so.
By |
Image
Bethany Erickson

If you didn’t vote early, Tuesday is your last chance to cast a ballot in the midterm elections. The polls open at 7 a.m. Here is what you need to know before getting in line.

You can vote anywhere in Dallas County on Election Day.

Find a nearby location with a low wait time by checking this map. There are many locations, including your neighborhood school, thanks to Dallas ISD giving Election Day off to students.

The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

But if you’re still in line at 7 p.m., you should stay in line—you have the right to vote as long as you were in line by that time. Also, your employer must allow you time to vote.

What’s the best way to get to the polls?

We’d say Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which is offering free rides to polling places. Use code VOTE08 in DART’s GoLink app for a free day pass. More information is here.

How do I know if I’m registered to vote?

Head here.

What kind of identification do I need to vote?

Your driver’s license is the quickest form of identification to vote, but here’s a list of other ID that you can use. You can also present supporting documents, but be aware of three things: One, you’ll need to also submit a Reasonable Impediment Declaration. Second, this is for people who don’t have an ID—not people who forgot theirs in their car or on the bedside table at home. Third, you’ll be casting a provisional ballot instead of a regular one.

What if I can’t find my voter registration card?

You don’t have to have it to vote, but it can come in handy if, for instance, you don’t have an acceptable form of photo ID. Your voter registration card and a supporting document will allow you to cast a regular ballot instead of a provisional one in most cases.

What if my driver’s license is expired or I’ve moved?

If it’s less than four years past its expiration, you can still use it. If you are 70 or older, the ID can be expired for any amount of time.

I thought I wanted to vote by mail, but I’ve changed my mind. Can I vote in person?

Yes. If you decide to vote in person, simply take your mail-in ballot and—this is important—take everything that came with it. The poll workers at your polling location can cancel that ballot, and you can vote in person.

I never got my mail-in ballot, or I filled it out and mailed it, but it hasn’t reached its destination yet. What do I do?

First, head here to check if your ballot was counted. If it hasn’t, go to the polling location of your choice, and explain that you haven’t received your ballot or it hasn’t shown up as counted. You can then fill out a provisional ballot. The ballot board will review it and then double-check to make sure the original mailed ballot was never cast. If that’s the case, your provisional ballot gets counted. If you’re military voting from overseas, you can check the status of your ballot here.

What if I am in the hospital and haven’t voted yet?

If you are hospitalized after the last day of early voting and are still there on Election Day, you can submit an application for a mail-in ballot. You’ll need to designate an authorized representative to submit the application on your behalf before 5 p.m. on Election Day. The application will be reviewed, and the early voting clerk will verify your registration status. If everything checks out, the clerk will give your representative the same materials they would for early voting by mail, and that representative can take them to you. After that, you vote, seal your ballot, and the same representative brings it back before 7 p.m. on Election Day. To get the application, click here.

If you’re ill, but not hospitalized, you can also utilize curbside voting at any polling place. Simply drive up to the curbside voting area, call the phone number on the sign, and a poll worker will then verify your registration. Once that is done, they will bring out a voting device with a ballot, voter ticket, and secrecy envelope. You then mark your ballot, put it in the envelope, and the poll worker deposits it into a ballot counter.

When will we know who won?

Good question. It depends on a number of factors—how many people show up to vote on Tuesday, for instance. If there are still substantial lines at 7 p.m., that will obviously slow down the count. But we should have early voting results by 7 p.m., and then Tuesday’s tallies will trickle in slowly after that. (Fun fact: You can watch a live stream of the areas where voted ballots are kept.)

The county canvassing of votes will happen within 10–14 days after Election Day, and then county election officials will complete a final reconciliation form to account for how outstanding ballots were included (or not).

“This includes late-arriving mail-in ballots from U.S. military members and U.S. citizens voting from overseas, as well as voters who corrected a defect on a mail-in ballot or provisional ballot,” the Texas Secretary of State’s office said.

Author

Bethany Erickson

Bethany Erickson

View Profile
Bethany Erickson is the senior digital editor for D Magazine. She's written about real estate, education policy, the stock market, and crime throughout her career, and sometimes all at the same time. She hates lima beans and 5 a.m. and takes SAT practice tests for fun.

Related Articles

Local News

Leading Off (3/29/24)

Looks like we have a beautiful Easter weekend ahead.
Image
Politics & Government

Q&A: Senate Hopeful Colin Allred Says November Election Is ‘Larger Than Our Own Problems’

The congressman has experience beating an entrenched and well-funded incumbent. Will that translate to a statewide win for the Democrats for the first time since 1994?
Local News

Leading Off (3/28/24)

It's a beautiful day for some baseball.
Advertisement