Resources

What kind of ID do I need to vote?

Here is the list of acceptable forms of ID needed to go vote per the office of the Texas Secretary of State:

• 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 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 (book or card)

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.

Here is a list of 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:

• Certified Birth Certificate (Copy or original)- a certified domestic (from a U.S. State or territory birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes your identity (which may include a foreign birth document).
• Current Utility Bill (Copy or original)
• Bank Statement (Copy or original)
• Government Check (Copy or original)
• Original Paycheck (Copy or original)
• Government document with your name and an address (Copy or original, including those if it contains a photograph) Some Examples Include;
  • Current or Expired Voter Registration Certificate –With Voter’s Name and Address
  • Driver Licenses from other states
  • ID cards issued by federally recognized Native American tribes(If ID contains an address)
  • DPS Receipts (without a Photo)
  • For Voters aged 18-69, expired Texas DPS –issued Driver licenses or personal ID Cards (expired over 4 years)
  • Public college or university IDs With Voter’s Name and Address
  • State/Federal/Local employee ID cards With Voter’s Name and Address
  • Library cards With Voter’s Name and Address

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

Click here to view images of forms of Photo ID and Supporting Forms of ID 

Click here for more information on Election Identification Certificate (EIC)

For more information on what ID you need to vote please visit VoteTexas.gov 

What can employers do?

Employers can and should encourage your employees to learn about the candidates and issues on the ballot and vote in the November election. In addition, emphasizing to your employees why voting matters in every election. As an employer, you can share information about how to register to vote, where employees can find their polling locations, and how to find out more about the candidates and issues they’ll see on their ballots.

In a recent BIPAC poll, 83% of employees found information received from their employers to be helpful in deciding to vote.

Additionally, if you don’t already do so, consider offering your employees an opportunity to come in late, leave early or take an extended lunch so they can vote.   

Need promotional materials to help promote voting? No problem, check out the 2018 Midterm Voter Toolkit compliments of the US Chamber of Commerce that comes complete with signage, posters and pocket cards for you to use to remind your employees to vote.  Your organization may also want to join regional coalitions like the North Texas Advocacy Coalition. 

Other resources you can use include a PowerPoint template and sample email reminder you can tailor for your organization’s use to help inform employees about voting in Texas and the legislative landscape at the state and federal levels.

Additional resources

Are you still looking for more information on who and what is on the ballot this November? Here are a few other places to get information on those people and issues on the ballot this November.

• Dallas Votes 4 Kids
• Texas Secretary of State
• League of Women Voters
• The Dallas Morning News
• North Texas Commission Advocacy Coalition
• Collin County Votes

Data sources

Shapes of the Texas Senate and Texas House districts, historical election results and demographic data were sourced by the Texas Tribune and Texas Legislative Council.

Candidate information was sourced by the candidates themselves through our DRC 2018 Candidate Questionnaire.  Additional information is provided by and linked to using the Texas Secretary of State, League of Women Voters, and Dallas Morning News.

Information regarding the voting process was collected from the Texas Secretary of State.

The Texas Tribune is nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

The League of Women Voters is strictly nonpartisan; it neither supports nor opposes candidates for office at any level of government.