On November 5, Texans will head to the polls to vote on nine proposed constitutional amendments. Proposition 1, which I authored, extends a 100 percent property tax exemption to the spouses of service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice defending our nation and Proposition 6 is a crucial measure to begin funding our state’s water plan.
This will also mark the first major election since the Texas Voter Photo ID law went into effect. I oppose this law as written because I think it’s unnecessary and imposes a difficult burden on some Texans. In fact, a federal court previously blocked implementation of the law, ruling that it would unfairly discriminate against poor Texans and minorities. The federal government is also currently suing the state of Texas to block the photo ID requirement.
However, until the legal case has concluded, voter photo ID is the law and I want to make sure that all voters have the required identification so that they will not be turned away from the polls.
In order to vote in Texas, you will need to bring one of the following documents to your polling place:
- TX Driver’s License
- TX Personal ID card
- TX concealed handgun license
- US military ID card
- US citizenship certificate
- US passport book or card
- Election ID Certificate (EIC)
*Unexpired or expired no more than 60 days
If you or someone you know does not have one of the items listed above, you may visit a Texas driver license office to obtain a free Election Identification Certificate (EIC).
Through November 2, five Tarrant County driver license offices, including one location in Arlington, will be open on Saturdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm, solely to allow Texans to apply for EICs. Click here for a list of these locations.
In order to obtain an EIC, eligible voters must bring:
- Documentation verifying United States citizenship,
Plus, two forms of supporting identification, including:
- Social Security card
- Voter registration card
- School records
- Medicare or Medicaid card
- ID card issued by a government agency
- Unexpired insurance policy
- Expired Texas ID
Also, if you receive Social Security Disability or are a veteran with a disability rating of more than 50 percent, you qualify for an exemption from the Voter Photo ID requirement. To request this exemption, complete a “Request for Disability Exemption” form and send it to the county’s voter registrar.
If you or anyone you know needs further assistance navigating the Voter Photo ID rules and regulations, do not hesitate to contact either my Arlington office (817.459.2800) or my Capitol office (512.463.0574) and my staff will be able to help.
Finally, please forward this email on to your friends and family. We must all do our part to make sure that every Texan is able to continue to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
