| Checking Voter Registration Status, Getting Registered for the First Time, or Making Changes to Your Current Registration |
| Q: I’m not sure if I’m registered; how can I confirm my voter registration status? |
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A: You can confirm your registration status by going to Am I Registered?
Or, you can call:
HAYS COUNTY Elections Administrator
Joyce Cowan
401-C Broadway St.
San Marcos 78666-7751
(512) 393-7310 |
| Q: If I send my registration by the deadline, what happens next? |
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A: Your voter registration becomes effective 30 days after it is submitted (and accepted*) by the county voter registrar. The county office will then put your name on the voter registration list, generate your voter certificate and mail it to you. Once received, be sure to read the information on the back of the certificate, sign by the X on the "front" of the card (the orange area) and keep your voter card in a safe place. This is what you will take with you to the polls to vote. Note that as long as your name is on the voter list, you may vote without presenting this certificate, as discussed below under “Voting without a Certificate.”
*If your original application is missing required information, you will receive a notice in the mail and have a deadline to respond to the notice. |
| Q: I am registered to vote, but I moved this past year. Is there anything I need to do to make sure that I won't have a problem voting? |
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A: If you moved “within the same county” where you are currently registered, you must file the new address information in writing with your voter registrar OR you may submit the ‘in county" change online. You will be required to complete a "statement of residence" confirming your new address in your new precinct.
HAYS COUNTY Elections Administrator
Joyce Cowan
401-C Broadway St.
San Marcos 78666-7751
(512) 393-7310
LIMITED BALLOT OPTION: A limited ballot means that you would be allowed to vote on any candidates and measures in common between your former and new county. You may not vote a limited ballot on election day and you must have been an eligible voter in your former county when you moved in order to qualify. We recommend that you contact the office of the Early Voting Clerk in your new county. |
| Q: I don't remember seeing my certificate lately. Is that a problem? Don't I just stay registered? |
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A: New certificates are mailed out every two years to the most recent address you gave to the voter registrar. If you do not recall receiving a new certificate , it could mean that you have moved without updating, or there is some other problem with your registration. If the certificate was mailed to an old address, it was returned to the registrar, and you were placed on the "suspense list" in that county. This means you have a grace period that allows you to vote in the same county in your old precinct, but if you do not vote, your name will be removed from the rolls after two federal elections have passed since you were placed on the suspense list. If you did not receive your certificate because you moved to a new Texas county, you will need to re-register. |
| Voting Without a Certificate - Voting Early - Election Day Voting |
| Q: I can't find my voter certificate/card. Will I be able to vote without it? |
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A: If you are a registered voter and you have lost or misplaced your voter certificate, you may vote without your certificate by providing some form of identification (see list below) and signing an affidavit at the polls. This is the procedure to follow if your voter registration is still current and your name appears on the voter rolls in your county of residence. You may also contact your county voter registrar to obtain a replacement certificate.
Acceptable documents are:
- a driver's license or personal identification card issued to you by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to you by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
- a form of identification containing your photograph that establishes your identity;
- a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes your identity;
- United States citizenship papers issued to you;
- a United States passport issued to you;
- official mail addressed to you, by name, from a governmental entity;
- a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
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| Q: Can anybody vote early in person, or only those people who are going to be out of town on election day? What are the dates for voting early in person? |
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A: Any registered voter may vote early by personal appearance (in person). You may go to any early voting location that is convenient, as long as it is in your county of registration. |
| Q: Where do I go to vote? |
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A:.You will be able to find early voting at this website, which will be populated with voting sites a few days before early voting begins. Or, you may want to contact HAYS COUNTY Elections Administrator
Joyce Cowan at
(512) 393-7310. Also, many newspapers publish early voting polling locations, so you might be able to find the information there. |
| Q: Can anybody vote early by mail (also referred to as absentee voting)? |
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A: Only specific reasons entitle a registered voter to vote early by mail (no longer called absentee voting). You may request a ballot by mail if you:
- will be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting;
- are sick or disabled;
- are 65 years of age or older on Election Day; or
- are confined in jail.
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| Q: I fall under one of the 4 reasons above. What do I do now? Are there deadlines connected with this procedure? |
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A: First, request an Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) from the Early Voting Clerk. Once received, read the instructions carefully, complete the ABBM form and return to the Early Voting Clerk.
HAYS COUNTY Elections Administrator
Joyce Cowan
401-C Broadway St.
San Marcos 78666-7751
(512) 393-7310 |
Provisional Voting
Provisional voting is designed to allow a voter whose name does not appear on the list of registered voters due to an administrative error to vote. It is much like the former challenge affidavit procedure in two ways: (1) it involves an affidavit the voter must complete stating the reasons he or she is qualified to vote; and (2) it is used if the voter cannot be qualified by the methods described above. The key differences are: (1) the cast ballots are kept separately from the regular ballots and (2) the voter’s records will be reviewed later by the provisional voting ballot board (the early voting ballot board), and the ballot is counted only if the voter is determined to be a registered voter. Provisional voters will receive a notice in the mail by the 10th day after the local canvass advising them if their provisional ballots were counted, and if they were not counted, the reason why. |
Military & Overseas Voters
Military and overseas voters are welcome to use the regular registration and early voting by mail process available to all voters away from their home county on Election Day. However, there are also special provisions for military and overseas voters. |
Voters with Special Needs
Rather than providing sample questions & answers, we are directing you to special needs information (PDF, 179kb) on our website to ensure that you are fully informed on the services available to you. |
Student Voters
Student voters often seek advice regarding residency issues for voter registration purposes. Information regarding student residency |
Convicted Felons and Voting
In Texas, a convicted felon regains the right to vote after completing his or her sentence. Therefore, once you have completed the punishment phase (including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by the court), you would be eligible to register and vote in the state of Texas. |
Liquor Elections
Information on the local option liquor petition and election process in Texas. |
For information on the Republican Party in Texas, please contact this organization directly:
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