TEXAS, USA — Texas voters are heading to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8, for the 2022 midterm election.
"We always want people to be thoughtful and have done some research if they have an opportunity before they come to the polls to decide what kind of candidates they want to support and so forth," Election Administrator Tom Green County, Vona Hudson, said.
Here's the information you need on where to vote and what you'll need to bring to the polls.
Did you know if you can vote by mail if you qualify?
On Election Night, all results will be posted at foxwtx.com.
In Texas, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 24, and runs through Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.
The deadline to register to vote to cast a ballot in the 2022 Midterm Election is Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022.
You can register to vote in the county you live in to be able to vote in all local, state and federal elections.
"If you want to vote in Tom Green County, you need to be registered to vote in Tom Green County. If you're not, then the only thing that would possibly help you would be if you're registered somewhere in the state of Texas and you come in during early voting at the main location, which is our office," Hudson said.
Contact your county's elections officer for more information.
Think you're already registered to vote? Visit the Secretary of State website to find out.
You are eligible to register to vote if:
- You are a United States citizen;
- You are a resident of the county where you submit the application;
- You are at least 17 years and 10 months old on the date your voter registration application is submitted, and you are 18 years of age on Election Day.
- You are not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole); and
- You have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
Registering to vote for the first time:
To register to vote in Texas, simply complete a voter registration application and return it to your county election office at least 30 days before the upcoming election date. To complete an application, you may:
- Complete an application using the Texas Secretary of State's ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION. Simply fill in the required information, print, sign and mail the completed application directly to your county election office;
- Request a PRINTED APPLICATION. The Texas Secretary of State office will mail a postage-paid voter registration application to the address provided; OR
- Contact or visit your local VOTER REGISTRAR to complete the voter registration process.
Register to vote when renewing your Driver License
If you’re not already registered to vote but have an existing Texas Driver License or state identification card, you can register to vote online when renewing, replacing or changing your contact information for either of these cards through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Follow the steps on the DPS web portal to update your driver license information, and you will be given the option to register to vote when renewing or updating your information.
Update your voter registration information online
Whether you’ve recently moved or changed your name, you can now update all your information on your voter registration record through our portal on Texas.gov.
Updating your information is important, as it can determine whether or not you can vote on certain issues.
"With the sanctuary city issue on the ballot, if someone has moved inside city limits and has not registered inside city limits, then they won't get to vote for that," Hudson said.
To update your registration online first visit the Texas SOS "My Voter Portal" to look up your "voter unique identifier, or VUID. You'll need it to update your information here.
In Texas early-voting begins on Monday, Oct. 24, and runs through Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. Check your individual county for specific early-voting locations and times.
Governor
The governor is the chief executive of Texas. A Democrat has not held the seat since 1995. Abbott is seeking a third term and will face O’Rourke, who came within 3 percentage points of defeating Cruz in the 2018 U.S. Senate race.
- Greg Abbott - Republican
- Beto O'rourke - Democrat
- Mark Tippetts - Libertarian
- Delilah Barrios - Green Party
Lt. Governor
The lieutenant governor, the second-highest executive in the state, presides over the Texas Senate. Republican Dan Patrick, who has quietly amassed influence with former President Donald Trump, is seeking a third term. Mike Collier, the Democratic nominee in 2018, will challenge Patrick again this year.
- Dan Patrick - Republican
- Mike Collier - Democrat
- Shanna Steele - Libertarian
Attorney General
The attorney general is the top lawyer in Texas, representing the state in mostly civil litigation. Ken Paxton is seeking a third term. His tenure has been clouded by a high-profile securities fraud indictment and an FBI investigation into claims of malfeasance while in office. His Democratic challenger is Rochelle Garza, a civil rights attorney from Brownsville.
- Ken Paxton - Republican
- Rochelle Mercedes Garza - Democrat
- Mark Ash - Libertarian
Agriculture Commissioner
The agriculture department supports farmers, regulates fuel pumps and administers school lunch programs. Sid Miller won the Republican primary for a third term, despite his Republican challengers taking aim at his ethics.
- Sid Miller - Republican
- Susan Hays - Democrat
Land Commissioner
The land commissioner oversees an agency that manages 13 million acres of state land, administers disaster recovery funds, contributes to public school funding and has administrative control of the Alamo. The race is wide open as incumbent George P. Bush decided to run for attorney general and lost to Paxton.
- Dawn Buckingham - Republican
- Jay Kleberg - Democrat
- Alfred Molison, Jr - Green Party
Comptroller
The comptroller is the state official responsible for collecting taxes, overseeing the state treasury and forecasting the amount of money that’s available to legislators when they craft the state’s two-year budget. Republican Glenn Hegar is running for a third term.
- Glenn Hegar - Republican
- Janet T. Dudding - Democrat
- V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza - Libertarian
Railroad Commissioner
In Texas, the Railroad Commission regulates the oil and gas industry. Members of the three-person board are elected statewide. One seat is up for election this year.
- Wayne Christian - Republican
- Luke Warford - Democrat
- Jaime Andres Diez - Libertarian
