What you need to know to vote in the 2020 election

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It goes without saying that 2020 has been a wild year. The traditional dates for local elections have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and there is a great deal of confusion surrounding voter registration, vote-by-mail, early voting, and election day voting. Here are the dates and information you need to know. Put these dates on your calendar. Make a plan for your preferred method of voting. Don’t let the confusion and chaos prevent you from making your voice heard in this year’s local and national races.

Note that this year’s ballot will include federal, state, and local races, including Kerrville city council races. This is new for 2020.

What do you need to do?

  • Make sure you’re registered to vote
  • If you wish to vote by mail, submit your application NOW
  • Make sure you have the proper Voter ID
  • Know the dates, times, and locations for early voting OR election day voting
  • VOTE EARLY if possible, so that you have time to rectify any mishaps or missing documentation
  • Do your research. Check back here for sample ballots when they are available. Also check out the League of Women Voters Voter Guide — a nonpartisan guide to what’s on the ballot.

Voter Registration

  • October 5 — Last day to register to vote.

If you’re not sure if you’re registered, check by visiting this link: https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do . You’ll need some combination of your date of birth, Texas driver’s license number, or voter ID number to login and check. Make sure that your status is ACTIVE! If it’s not, check this FAQ: https://www.votetexas.gov/faq/registration.html

Voter registration is available in person at the Kerr County Courthouse, 700 Main Street Suite 124, Kerrville, Texas, in the Tax Assessor’s office. This is the same office that you would visit to register your vehicle. Their telephone number is (830) 792-2242.

You can fill out the voter registration form online by visiting this link: https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/vrapp/index.asp . You’ll then need to print, sign, and either mail or deliver this application in person to the Kerr County Tax Assessor’s office in the courthouse.

Vote by Mail

Every state has different rules for eligibility to vote by mail. Texas DOES NOT have universal eligibility for vote-by-mail. In Texas, you must meet one of the following criteria:

  • 65 years of age or older
  • disabled
  • be out of the county on election day AND during the dates for early voting
  • be confined in jail but otherwise eligible to vote

To vote by mail, you must first APPLY for a ballot by mail. Find the instructions and the form at this link: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml

The LAST DAY to apply for ballot by mail is Friday, October 23. Your application MUST BE RECEIVED (not postmarked) by this date.

Your ballot MUST BE RECEIVED no later than Tuesday, November 3 (Election Day).

Voter ID

Texans must present an approved form of identification to vote in ALL elections. Approved forms of ID include a Texas driver’s license, a Texas Election ID Certificate, a Texas personal identification card, a Texas license-to-carry permit, US military ID, US citizenship certificate, or US passport. More information is available here: https://www.co.kerr.tx.us/elections/images/Poster-VoteTexas-ID-ENGLISH.pdf

Early Voting

In Kerr County, early voting will take place beginning on Tuesday, October 13, and will run through Friday, October 30. The dates, times, and locations are posted in the graphic below. Anyone eligible to vote in Kerr County can appear at ANY of these locations during the specified dates/times, with proper ID, and can cast a ballot. This includes county AND city residents who wish to vote early in-person.

Location 1: Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Highway 27, Kerrville, TX 78028

Location 2: Ingram ISD Business Building, 510 College Street, Ingram, TX 78025

Dates & Times:

Election Day Voting

We recommend that everyone vote early, if possible, because it becomes much more complicated to find your polling place on election day. If you choose to vote on Election Day, you must determine which precinct you live in, and report to the proper polling place with your Voter ID. To see which precinct you’re in, check your Voter Registration card (or check online). If you check your registration online, look for the precinct number like the one highlighted below.

On November 3 (Election Day) polling places are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The polling places are:

For more information about the 2020 election and voter information, visit the Kerr County Elections website: https://www.co.kerr.tx.us/elections/