Vote with Pride

September is National Voter Registration Month! The right to vote is fundamental to your participation in this democracy.

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Because we value and encourage our students’ participation in the political process, and we are required to do so under the Higher Education Act, below you will find certain information and deadlines as they relate to voting in Texas (Oklahoma Information). We have included some guides below to make the voting process and voter registration easy to follow.

Avoid the Lines

Vote early!

Vote Early! There are more polling locations available during early voting in your county.

On Election day you will have one specific polling location, based on the address listed on your voter registration.

Before You Vote

There’s a short, but important checklist of what you should do before going to vote (early or on election day).

1. Research your candidates.

2. Find where to vote and when the polls will open and close.

3. If you’re a voter with disabilities, know what services are available to you under the law. En español.

4. Recently changed your name or moved? Update your voter registration information online.

Voting Rights

Hey! Did you know that you as a voter have rights? Those rights include, but are not limited to:

• The right to a ballot with written instructions on how to cast a ballot.

• The right to cast a vote without voter intimidation, threats, or coercion throughout the voting process.

• The right to report voting fraud and potential voting violations.

Voting Rights Resources:

• Know Your Voting Rights

• Guide to Federal Voting Rights Laws (justice.gov)

• Voting Rights Laws and Constitutional Amendments

Reporting Potential Voting Violations

Experienced or witnessed a potential election crime? Report it to your local election officials.
Civil Rights Division - Department of Justice - Reporting Voting Issues

The Election Protection Hotline:

• English: 866-OUR-VOTE / 866-687-8683

• Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA / 888-839-8682

• Arabic: 844-YALLA-US / 844-925-5287

• Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 888-API-VOTE / 888-274-8683

Do's & Don'ts at the Polls

Do

• Bring notes on the candidates that you want to vote for.
  Suggestion: Bring notes on paper, you can be asked to leave if you are using your phone in the polling booth.

• Bring a friend(s) to vote with you! The more the merrier, right?!

• Bring Identification. Make sure it’s one of the permissible forms identifications to vote in Texas.

Don't

• Do not wear clothing or anything promoting any candidate. You can get a class C misdemeanor if you wear candidate gear in a polling area.

• Do not film or take pictures of anything while in a polling area. Save your I voted pictures (with your sticker) for outside of the polling building.

• Do not bring any fire arms or weapons in to a polling area.

Election Administrations

To view your sample ballots and learn more click on your county of residence.

Voting Panel

Featuring:

• Carol Marmaduke, History Faculty Bowie Campus

• Mike Yager, Co-Leader of Denton Vote Group

• Nancy Baier, Co-Leader of Denton Vote Group

• Hosted by Patricia Amador, SGA Vice President

Voter Checklist

First, are you eligible to vote?

• I am a United States Citizen

• I am a resident of the county where I submitted the application

• I will be 18 years of age or older on Election Day

• If I have been convicted of a felony, I have completed my sentence, probation and parole or I have not been convicted of a felony.

• I have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.You are not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole).

If all those boxes apply to you proceed to the next question.

Are you registered to vote?

Is your voter registration active and are you registered to vote in the county you will call "home" during the upcoming election?

Verify your status here: Texas Secretary of State: Am I registered?

• If your "Voter Status" came back "Active" you are registered!

• If your information was not found, proceed to the following steps to get registered or contact your VOTER REGISTRAR.

How do I register to vote?

 ¿Como me registro para poder votar?
First you have to apply! Sound familiar, students? Also remember, Texas requires a paper application!

1. Complete an application using the informal Secretary of State's ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION. Simply fill in the required information, print, sign and mail directly to your county election office. Do not forget to print, sign and mail the application! Remember!! Texas only accepts paper applications.

2. Request a PRINTED APPLICATION from the Secretary of State's office and they will mail a voter registration application to the address provided.

   • Check your physical mailbox! When you receive the application, fill it out, sign it and mail it to your county election office.

3. Pick up a voter registration application at your library, any government office, or contact/visit your VOTER REGISTRAR in your county. Fill it out, sign it and mail it to your county election office.

Your County’s Voter Registrar will then process your application, and your registration becomes effective 30 days after it is submitted (and accepted) by the County Voter Registrar.

What does this mean? You need to verify that the County has received and processed your application by the deadline.

I signed and mailed the application, am I registered to vote?

Verify your status here: Texas Secretary of State: Am I registered?

• If your "Voter Status" came back "Active" you are registered!

• You may receive a voter registration card in the process, if you lose it, it's ok. There are other forms of ID that are asked for at the polls!

You are now on your way to vote with pride!