Elections
Harris County election services cover voter registration, election schedules, sample ballots, Vote Center locations, voting by mail, identification requirements, accessible voting, ballot correction procedures, and election results. This article explains which county office handles each service, how to prepare for an election, what to bring when voting in person, how mail ballots must be requested and returned, and which common mistakes can delay or prevent a ballot from being counted.
Election Offices and Responsibilities
Two Harris County offices have major but different election-related responsibilities. Knowing which office handles a particular request can prevent delays and unnecessary visits.
The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector serves as the county’s Voter Registrar. This office handles voter registration records, including new registrations and updates to a voter’s name or residential address. Voters should use the county’s official voter registration service when they need to register, confirm their status, or locate registration-related information.
The Harris County Clerk’s Office Elections Department administers election operations. Its responsibilities include Early Voting, Election Day Vote Centers, voting by mail, sample ballots, voting equipment, election workers, accessibility services, provisional voting procedures, and election results.
Registration questions should generally be directed to the Voter Registrar. Questions about an upcoming election, voting location, mail ballot, voting equipment, or ballot issue should generally be directed to the Elections Department.
Upcoming Election Schedule
The November 3, 2026 General and Special Elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3. Harris County voters may review official notices, deadlines, and election updates through the county’s upcoming elections information page.
Early Voting Dates
Early Voting is scheduled from Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30, 2026. Any qualified voter may vote early in person. A voter does not need to provide a reason for choosing Early Voting instead of Election Day.
October 19 through October 24: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 25: 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
October 26 through October 30: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Voting early can provide more flexibility, but voters should still verify the current location list before leaving home. Vote Center information may be added or updated as election preparations continue.
Election Day Hours
Election Day Vote Centers will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Harris County uses a countywide Vote Center model, so registered county voters are not restricted to one assigned Election Day location. A voter may choose any available Vote Center in Harris County.
Voters can review the official Vote Center information before traveling. Location availability should be confirmed close to the date a voter plans to cast a ballot.
Registration Before Voting
A person must be registered to vote in Harris County to vote in a county election. According to the county’s first-time voter information, a registration applicant must be a Harris County resident, be at least 18 years old by Election Day, and meet the applicable eligibility requirements concerning felony convictions and court findings of mental incapacity.
Texas registration applications must be printed, signed, dated, and mailed. Submitting information online does not replace the required signed application when completing a new registration through the standard application process.
Name and Address Changes
Registered Texas voters may use the state’s official voter name and address change service to submit qualifying updates. The service may be used for a current residential address change, a name change, or both.
The online update system requires information from the voter’s current driver license or identification card, Social Security number, and voter registration record. The Voter Unique Identifier number, commonly called the VUID, may be obtained from the county Voter Registrar.
A move from Harris County to another Texas county results in the cancellation of the registration in the former county and an update to the new county of residence. A new voter certificate is mailed after the change is processed. Changes submitted less than 30 days before an election may affect where the voter must cast a ballot for that election.
Registration Record Problems
A voter should review the name and residential address on the registration record before the election. If the voter lookup displays “SOR Required,” the voter will need to complete a Statement of Residency form at the Vote Center. This notation should not be ignored, but it does not mean the voter should stay home. Election workers can provide the required form at the voting location.
Sample Ballots and Contests
Ballot content varies by residential address because districts, jurisdictions, and local contests are not the same throughout Harris County. A generic candidate list may include races that do not appear on a particular voter’s ballot or may omit local contests that do.
The official What’s on My Ballot search allows voters to enter a name or address to view the contests and candidates for which they are eligible to vote. Sample ballots are generally posted before the election and are specific to the voter’s address.
A voter may print a sample ballot and bring it into the voting booth. Handwritten notes are also permitted. Any paper brought into the booth should be taken when the voter leaves.
Phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, and other electronic or recording devices may not be used within 100 feet of the voting area. A voter who wants a reference while marking the ballot should prepare printed material or handwritten notes rather than relying on a phone.
Identification at Vote Centers
Voters casting an in-person ballot should bring an acceptable form of photo identification. The county identifies seven primary forms of photo ID:
Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by the Department of Public Safety
Texas personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety
Texas handgun license issued by the Department of Public Safety
United States military identification card containing the voter’s photograph
United States citizenship certificate containing the voter’s photograph
United States passport book or passport card
Expired Photo Identification
A voter who is 18 through 69 years old may use an approved photo ID that expired no more than four years earlier. A voter who is 70 or older may use an otherwise acceptable photo ID regardless of how long it has been expired. United States citizenship certificates do not expire.
Reasonable Impediment Procedure
A registered voter who does not possess and cannot reasonably obtain an acceptable photo ID may complete a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present a supporting form of identification.
Supporting documents identified by the county include:
A voter registration certificate
A certified United States birth certificate, including one issued by a United States territory
A current utility bill showing the voter’s name and an address
A bank statement showing the voter’s name and an address
A paycheck showing the voter’s name and an address
A government check showing the voter’s name and an address
Another government document showing the voter’s name and an address
An out-of-state driver license or government employee identification card may qualify as another government document. Library cards are not acceptable voting identification, including cards issued by the Houston Public Library and the Harris County Public Library Enhanced+ Photo ID program.
Provisional Ballots and Curing
A voter who has neither acceptable photo identification nor a supporting document may be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The voter must then verify the required identification within six days after the election at an authorized Elections Department location.
This correction process is commonly called curing. A provisional ballot that requires identification verification is not completed merely by placing the ballot in the voting system. The voter must satisfy the follow-up requirement within the six-day period.
Curing may also be required when a mail ballot has a signature issue or an identification-number problem. Voters receiving a cure notice should follow the Elections Department’s instructions promptly rather than waiting until the end of the correction period.
Voting at a Vote Center
Harris County uses VerityDuo voting equipment. The voter makes selections on the voting machine and then prints a paper ballot. Printing the ballot does not finish the voting process.
The printed ballot must be inserted into the ballot scanner near the exit. The scanner records the vote and stores the paper ballot in a secured container. The ballot has been cast when the scanner screen displays the American flag.
When a ballot requires more than one paper sheet, each sheet should be inserted separately. The voter should wait for the flag confirmation before inserting the next page.
No Straight-Ticket Option
Straight-ticket voting is not available. Voters must review each contest and manually select each choice they want to make. In a general election, a candidate’s political party affiliation appears with the candidate’s name, but selecting one candidate does not automatically select other candidates from the same party.
A voter may leave a contest blank. The selections made in other contests can still be counted.
Assistance in the Booth
A voter who needs help reading or operating the voting equipment may bring an assistant. The voter must notify the Presiding Judge so the assistant can take the required oath and complete the appropriate paperwork.
The person assisting may not be the voter’s employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or agent of a labor union to which the voter belongs. The assistant may not pressure the voter or attempt to influence the voter’s choices.
A voter who has a question after entering the voting booth should notify an election worker rather than using a phone or asking another voter.
Accessible Voting Services
The Elections Department provides several accommodations intended to make in-person voting accessible. The ballot is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Remote interpreters may be available for voters who need other language assistance, including American Sign Language.
The voting equipment allows users to increase font size or screen contrast. Accessible booths are wider and include controls that can accommodate a chair or mobility device. Voting machines can also connect to accessibility components, including headphones and sip-and-puff devices.
Additional information about accommodations and the county’s grievance procedure is available through the official voters with disabilities service.
Curbside Voting
Curbside voting is available at every Vote Center for a voter who is physically unable to enter without personal assistance or without a likelihood of injury to the voter’s health. A designated blue sign and buzzer are placed in the parking area. The voter may ring the buzzer from the vehicle to request assistance.
An election clerk brings the voting materials to the entrance or curb. Curbside voting does not automatically move a voter ahead of everyone waiting. The curbside voter is served when that voter’s place in line reaches the qualification table.
Voting Order Priority
An election officer may give voting order priority to a person with a mobility problem that substantially impairs the person’s ability to move. A voter seeking priority may notify an election officer. The Presiding Judge determines whether the voter and, when applicable, the voter’s assistant will be moved forward in the line.
Voting by Mail
Voting by mail is limited to registered voters who meet at least one qualifying condition. The county’s official Vote by Mail instructions provide the application, tracking service, eligibility rules, and return requirements.
A voter may qualify when:
The voter will be 65 or older on Election Day.
The voter is sick or disabled as defined by Texas election law.
The voter expects to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
The voter will be outside Harris County during the entire Early Voting period and on Election Day.
The voter is confined in jail or under involuntary civil commitment but remains eligible to vote.
Voters applying because they will be outside the county or because they are confined may apply only for the applicable election and any resulting runoff. Voters who are 65 or older or who qualify based on disability may request an annual mail ballot application covering elections during the calendar year.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for a mail ballot for the November 3, 2026 General and Special Elections is October 23. The Elections Department must receive the application by the deadline. A postmark by itself does not satisfy an application receipt deadline.
The application must be completed, signed, printed, and returned. An unsigned application may be rejected.
Identification Numbers
The application must include either the voter’s Texas driver license or personal identification number issued by the Department of Public Safety, or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number.
The number must match the information associated with the voter’s registration record. The county encourages applicants who are uncertain which number is on file to provide both numbers in the appropriate application fields.
For a primary election, the applicant must identify the political party ballot requested. Texas voters do not register by political party, but a primary mail ballot application must identify which party’s primary ballot the voter wants to receive.
Fax and Email Applications
A scanned application may be sent by email, and an application may also be transmitted by fax. However, using either method creates an additional requirement: the Elections Department must receive the original application within four business days after the fax or email transmission.
Sending an electronic copy without delivering the original paper application within that period can prevent the request from being completed.
Completing a Mail Ballot
Mail ballot voters should read all instructions included with the ballot and use black or blue ink to mark their selections. The voted ballot must be placed in the ballot envelope, and the ballot envelope must then be placed inside the pre-addressed carrier envelope.
The voter must provide the required identification number under the carrier-envelope flap. The carrier envelope must be sealed and signed where indicated. The voter should sign it in the same manner used on the mail ballot application because the signature is reviewed during ballot processing.
The ballot must be returned in the official envelopes supplied by the Elections Department. Replacing the official envelope with an ordinary mailing envelope can interfere with the validation process.
Return by Postal Mail
A ballot returned through the United States Postal Service must be postmarked by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day and received by the Elections Department by 5:00 p.m. on the next business day after Election Day.
The official mail-ballot return address for residential mail is:
Harris County Clerk’s Office Elections Department
P.O. Box 1148
Houston, TX 77251-1148
Return by Contract Carrier
A mail ballot may be returned through a common or contract carrier, including a personal courier, FedEx, UPS, or another contracted delivery service. It generally must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
If the carrier’s receipt mark shows that the ballot was placed with the carrier before 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, it may be received by 5:00 p.m. on the first mail-delivery day after Election Day.
Election Day Drop-Off
A voter may personally deliver a completed mail ballot at 1019 Congress Street, Houston, TX 77002, on Election Day only, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Only the voter may make the delivery.
The voter must present acceptable photo identification. A voter who does not possess and cannot reasonably obtain acceptable photo identification may present an approved supporting document and complete a Reasonable Impediment Declaration.
Switching to In-Person Voting
A voter who applied for or received a mail ballot may decide to vote in person, but the voter may vote only once. A voter who still has the mail ballot should bring it to the Vote Center and surrender it. After the ballot is surrendered, election workers can issue a regular in-person ballot.
A voter who does not bring the mail ballot may still be permitted to vote provisionally. The provisional process allows election officials to confirm that the voter did not also return the mail ballot.
A voter who has already returned a completed mail ballot cannot later vote in person to change the selections.
Mail Ballot Tracking and Curing
Voters may use the tracking service available through the Vote by Mail page to review the status of an application or returned ballot. Tracking can help identify whether an application was received, whether a ballot was mailed, and whether the returned ballot reached the Elections Department.
A mail ballot may require curing when election officials identify a problem with the signature or identification number. Curing means correcting the issue so the ballot can be accepted for counting. The correction must be completed within six days after the election.
Notices about a ballot problem should be addressed as soon as possible. Waiting until the sixth day may leave too little time to provide the required identification or complete the applicable correction process.
Election Results
County election totals are published through the official Harris County election results page. Results posted on election night may change as eligible ballots are processed, including mail ballots and provisional ballots that are accepted after required review or curing.
A mail ballot is not tabulated immediately when it arrives. The return envelope is logged, reviewed, and securely stored. Mail ballot votes are tabulated after Vote Centers close at 7:00 p.m. on Election Day and are included in the official election record.
Election Offices
Harris County Clerk’s Office Elections Department
15600 Morales Road, Houston, TX 77032
713-755-6965
Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar
1001 Preston Street, Houston, TX 77002
713-274-8000
Elections FAQs
Can I vote in either party’s primary?
Texas voters do not register by political party. In a primary election, a registered Harris County voter may choose either the Democratic or Republican primary, but not both during the same election cycle. A voter who participates in one party’s primary may vote only in that party’s runoff. Someone who skipped the primary may still participate in a primary runoff by selecting one party. Primary participation does not require the voter to support that party’s candidates in the general election. Review the county’s official voting questions and answers for current primary procedures.
Is campaigning allowed near a Vote Center?
Electioneering is prohibited inside a Vote Center and within 100 feet of an outside entrance used by voters. The restriction applies to campaigning for or against candidates, political parties, and ballot measures. Voters should avoid displaying campaign clothing, signs, buttons, or other political materials within the restricted area. Election officials may enforce the boundary while voting is underway.
Can I receive a limited ballot after moving?
A Texas voter who recently moved to Harris County and remains registered in another Texas county may qualify for a limited ballot in certain federal and state elections. Limited ballots are available only during Early Voting and generally must be cast at the designated main Early Voting location. They contain contests for which the voter remains eligible based on both the former and current residence. Eligibility depends on the voter’s registration and moving circumstances.
Are late mail ballots available after an emergency?
Special late-ballot procedures may apply when a qualifying sickness or disability begins on or after the twelfth day before Election Day. A separate procedure may apply when a death in the voter’s immediate family occurs on or after the fifth day before Election Day and the voter must be outside the county. These options require specific applications and deadlines. General mail-ballot rules are available on the county’s Vote by Mail page.
Must an annual mail-ballot request be renewed?
Yes. An annual mail-ballot application applies only to elections held during the calendar year for which it was submitted. Eligible voters who are age 65 or older or have a qualifying disability must submit a new annual application each year. Selecting the annual option does not create a permanent mail-voting status.