Go To Jail If You Want to Vote Early

SAN ANGELO, TX – Voters can cast ballots early in the sally port of the old Tom Green County jail during early voting for the Nov. general election.

According to Elections Administrator Vona Hudson, the deadline to register or update voter registration information and be effective for the November 3^rd election is Oct. 5, 2020.  Voters must be registered in the county in which they plan to vote.  There is no online registration.  The only action that can be taken online is a voter can update their information online at votetexas.gov if they are making the change within the same Texas county.

To register or make a change, a voter registration application must be completed.  Blank forms can be found on the Tom Green County Election website:www.votetomgreencounty.org, under the Forms link.  The forms are also available in the Edd B. and Frances Frink Keyes Building, in the election office located at 113 W. Beauregard Ave. or they can be mailed.  To contact the election office, call 325-659-6541 or email: [email protected].  The application cannot be turned in personally by anyone but the voter, a parent, child, or spouse.  To qualify for the deadline, a mailed application has to be postmarked by 10/5.  If delivered personally, it must be in the office by Oct. 5.  

The election office has begun extended hours for the November election.  From now until Nov. 4, the office will be open from 8 am to 5 pm, including the lunch hour.  On Oct. 5, the office will remain open until 6 pm.  To enter the election office after 5 pm, access will be through the election office door by the handicapped parking in back of the Keyes Building.

The deadline to request a ballot by mail is Oct. 23.  The form must be received by the 23^rd, not just postmarked.  The form may be delivered in person by the voter only.  Once early voting, the application cannot be delivered in person.  Forms are available on the webpage, under the forms link, can be mailed, or can be completed in person. 

The reasons to qualify for a ballot by mail are: 65 or older, disability, expected absence from county (must be out of the county during early voting and on election day and ballot MUST be mailed out of the county), or confined in jail.

Voters are reminded that allowance must be made for sufficient for mail to be processed.  The post office is advising to allow 2 to 5 days for mail to travel between locations. 

Voters who are receiving a ballot by mail have several options for returning the ballot.  They can vote the ballot and mail it back to the election office.  They can vote it and bring it to the election office as soon as it is voted and turn it.  It must be the voter themselves and they must be prepared to show ID.  If the voter chooses not to vote the ballot by mail and wants to vote at the poll, they should take the ballot with them to surrender at the poll.   They will be required to cancel the ballot by mail and they will vote a regular ballot at the poll.  If they do not have the ballot with them, they will have to vote provisionally.

Sample ballots are now available on the webpage and voters are encouraged to obtain a sample ballot to review ahead of time.  Straight party voting is no longer an option on the ballot so voters will have to mark each race individually.  Because of this, it will take more time to mark a long ballot and the sample ballots will help everyone prepare.

Voters are reminded that there is no electioneering within 100 feet of a polling place.  Electioneering includes wearing a hat, shirt, button, facemask, etc. that supports a candidate or party in the poll.   Voters will be asked to remove any electioneering items when they are within the distance markers or the 100 ft. 

No electronic recording devices are allowed within the 100 ft. either.  This means not cell phones, no taking pictures, etc.

Early voting has been extended by Governor’s order and will begin Oct. 13.  It will last until Oct. 30.  For this election, the election office has obtained the sally port of the old county jail, located at 122 W. Harris.  This sally port is intended to be used for people to drive through and vote curbside.  Curbside will be offered at the election office as well. 

Photo ID is all that is required to vote.  

 The list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:

• Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS

• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS

• Texas license to carry a handgun 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. 

Election Identification Certificates are available from DPS driver license offices during regular business hours.

If the voter does not possess one of those forms of ID, the supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter cannot obtain, and has a reasonable impediment or difficulty to obtaining one of the forms of acceptable photo ID:

• 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 

• Copy of or original government document with your name and an address (original required if it contains a photograph)

After presenting a supporting form of ID, the voter must execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration.

Voting hours and locations are:

Early Voting/Votación Adelantadas

Edd B. and Frances Frink Keyes Building 113 W. Beauregard Ave. 1st Floor/primer piso

CURBSIDE            Former Tom Green County Jail, Sally Port, 122 W. Harris                

Dates and Hours / Fechas y Horas: 

10/13-10/16 8 am – 5 pm             10/19-10/23 8 am – 5 pm                             10/24 7 am – 7 pm

10/25 12:30 – 5:30 pm                   10/26-30 7 am – 7 pm