Identification Required to Vote in the November 8 Election in Texas

By | October 31, 2016
13-1Prescribed by Secretary of State Section 63.0012, Texas Election Code; U.S.D.C. S.D.Tex. Civil Action No. 2:13-CV-00193 (Docket No. 895)8/2016 (ED48)

Notice of Required Identification

A voter must show one of the following forms of acceptable photo identification at the polling location before the voter may be accepted for voting, unless the voter has a reasonable impediment to obtaining one of these forms of acceptable photo identification or the voter qualifies for one of the other exemptions identified below:

• Texas Driver’s License issued by Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS;
• Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS;
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS;
• United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph;
• United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph;
• United States Passport.

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 4 years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place.

If a voter does not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo identification listed above, and the voter cannot reasonably obtain such identification, the voter has the right to execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present one of the following supporting documents:

• valid voter registration certificate;
• certified birth certificate (must be an original);
• copy of or original current utility bill;
• copy of or original bank statement;
• copy of or original government check;
• copy of or original paycheck; or
• copy of or original other government document that displays your name and an address (though an original is required if it contains a photograph).

Exemptions: Voters with a disability may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to showing an acceptable form of photo identification at the polls. Voters with a religious objection to being photographed or voters who cannot present an acceptable form of photo identification due to certain natural disasters may apply for a temporary exemption to showing an acceptable form of photo identification at the polls. Please contact your voter registrar for more details.

Provisional Voting: If (a) a voter does not possess one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of photo identification, which is not expired for more than four years, and the voter can reasonably obtain one of these forms of identification or (b) if a voter possesses, but did not bring to the polling place, one of the seven forms of acceptable photo identification, which is not expired for more than four years, or (c) if the voter does not possess one of the seven forms of acceptable photo identification, which is not expired for more than four years, could otherwise not obtain one due to a reasonable impediment, but did not bring a supporting form of identification to the polling place, the voter may cast a provisional ballot at the polls and will have six (6) calendar days after election day to present an acceptable form of photo identification, which is not expired for more than four years, in the presence of the county voter registrar.

More information may be found at http://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id/

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