How to vote in Houston: vote early to Oct 30, polls 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Who can register, and the deadline

To register in Texas, you must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of the county where you register. You must be 18 by Election Day. You can apply from age 17 years and 10 months. The Secretary of State's September 28, 2026 release lists the requirements.

The registration deadline for this election was Monday, October 5, 2026. Mailed applications had to be postmarked by that day. October 4 fell on a Sunday, so the deadline moved to Monday.

That deadline has passed. Texas does not register voters at the polls. If you are not registered, register now for the next election. Texas has no online registration: print the application from VoteTexas.gov or pick one up at a county office.

Check your status at VoteTexas.gov. Harris County voters can also check with the county tax office at hctax.net, which the county elections site links for registration status.

Vote early: October 19 to October 30

Early voting in person runs Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30, 2026. The dates are in the Secretary of State's 2026 election release and the Harris County voting FAQ.

Any registered Harris County voter can vote at any early voting location in the county. No reason is needed to vote early in person. Find locations on the county's polling locations page.

Harris County early voting hours:

• October 19 to 24: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday, October 25: noon to 7 p.m.
• October 26 to 30: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Vote by mail: Texas limits who qualifies

Texas does not offer mail voting to every voter. You qualify only if one of these fits, per the Secretary of State's ballot by mail page:

• You are 65 or older.
• You are sick or disabled.
• You will be out of the county on Election Day and during the whole early voting period.
• You expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
• You are confined in jail but otherwise eligible to vote.

The Harris County Clerk must receive your application by Friday, October 23, 2026. Received means in the office, not postmarked. The county's voting FAQ states the deadline.

Your application needs a Texas driver's license, personal ID or Election Identification Certificate number. If you have none, use the last four digits of your Social Security number. Put the same number on your ballot's carrier envelope. VoteTexas.gov explains the requirement.

Return your ballot one of three ways:

• By mail. It must be postmarked by 7 p.m. on November 3 and received by 5 p.m. on November 4.
• By a delivery carrier. It must be received by 7 p.m. on November 3.
• By hand, on Election Day only. Deliver your own ballot, with photo ID, to the Elections Department at 1019 Congress Street, Houston, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

What ID to bring

Texas requires one of seven photo IDs at the polls. The list is on VoteTexas.gov:

• Texas driver license
• Texas Election Identification Certificate
• Texas personal identification card
• Texas handgun license
• U.S. military identification card with a photo
• U.S. citizenship certificate with a photo
• U.S. passport, book or card

For voters aged 18 to 69, an ID can be expired by up to four years. For voters 70 or older, it can be expired for any length of time if it is otherwise valid.

If you do not have one of the seven and cannot reasonably get one, you can still vote a regular ballot. Show a supporting document, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or your voter registration certificate. Then sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls.

If you have an accepted ID but left it at home, you can vote provisionally. You then have six days to show ID to the county voter registrar.

Election Day: Tuesday, November 3

Harris County Vote Centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., per the county's voting FAQ. The county runs vote centers, so you can use any center in Harris County, not just one assigned precinct.

Find a center on the county's polling locations page. You can also start at vote.gov.

If something goes wrong

Call the Harris County Election Help Line at 713-755-6965. The number is in the county's voting FAQ, which also has a mail ballot tracking tool.

The Texas Secretary of State runs a voter assistance line at 1-800-252-VOTE. It is listed in the Secretary of State's 2026 election release.

Ask the election workers at your vote center first. If your ID or registration is questioned, ask about the provisional ballot and the six day cure period.

What happens next

Mail ballots postmarked by 7 p.m. on November 3 still count if they arrive by 5 p.m. on November 4. Provisional ballots are reviewed in the six days after the election.

What you can do

Check your registration today. Pick your vote center before you go, and put your photo ID with your keys. If you vote by mail, send the ballot back this week, not next.