Q. | How do I contact your office? |
|
|
The
telephone number for the Harris County
Voter Registration Department is (713) 274-8200. We are located at
1001 Preston, 2nd Floor, Room 200, in Downtown Houston.
Many of our Tax Office substations are able to serve you,
without the need for you to go downtown. To find the Tax Office location nearest
you, go to our Office Locations Page. Also, e-mail us and we'll respond to your request as soon as
possible. Our mailing address is: Don Sumners,
Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar, P.O. Box 3527, Houston, Texas, 77253-3527.
|
 |
|
| Q. |
Who is eligible to register to vote in Harris County elections? |
According to the Secretary of State's office, to be eligible to register to vote in Texas, you must:
- be a United States citizen;
- be a resident of Harris County;
- be 18 years old (you may register at 17 years and 10 months of age);
- not be a convicted felon (unless your sentence is completed, including any probation or parole); and
- not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be:
- totally mentally incapacitated; or
- partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
Where can I get a voter registration application? |
Voter Registration Applications are available at our office downtown, or at any of our other branch locations throughout Harris County. They
are also available at many libraries, post offices, Texas Department of Public Safety
offices
and offices of the Health and Human Services Commission
in Harris County. Additionally, you may obtain an application by:
- calling us at (713) 274-8200
- sending your request by mail. The mailing address is Don Sumners, Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar, P.O. Box 3527, Houston, Texas 77253-3527; or
- requesting an application online.
|
| |
|
|
|
| Q. |
How soon before an election can I register and be able to vote? |
You may register to vote at any time:
- Complete a postage-free post card application and mail it, or take it in person to any Harris County Tax Office location.
- You must be at least 17 years and ten
months of age on the date your application is submitted.
- Your application must be submitted 30
days before the election date for you to be eligible to vote in
that election.
- Your spouse, parent or child (acting as an agent) may complete and sign a voter registration application for you, provided that this person is a registered voter, or has applied for voter registration.
- If any of the information on the
application is incomplete, you will be notified and required to
send a second application. The second application must be received
by the Harris County Voter Registrar within 10 days of the notice
date.
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
After I have registered, when will I receive my Voter Registration Certificate? |
|
You will receive a Voter Registration
Certificate within 30 days. Check your certificate to make sure all information is
correct. If there is a mistake, immediately make corrections and
return the certificate to the registrar. Present your certificate at the Harris
County polling place on election day. You will receive a color-coded certificate
every two years.
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
What do I do if I have changed my address, but still live in Harris County? |
- Promptly notify the Harris County Voter Registrar in writing of your new address by:
- correcting the information on your
current voter registration certificate and returning it to the
voter registrar; or
- completing a voter registration change form (contact the Harris County
Voter Registrar or the Secretary of State's office for a form).
- Your spouse, parent or child (acting as an agent) may complete and sign a change of address form for you, provided that this person is a registered voter, or has applied for registration.
- You will receive a new, corrected certificate.
- You will be able to vote in your new precinct 30 days after your notice has been received.
- Meanwhile: You may vote a full ballot in your former precinct if your registration has not become effective in your new precinct.
- You must notify the Harris County Voter Registrar of your change of address as soon as possible.
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
And if I move to another county in the State of Texas? |
- You must re-register. Complete an application and mail it or take it in person to the voter registrar of your new county.
- You will receive a new certificate.
- You may be eligible to vote a limited ballot in your new county of residence after moving if:
- you would have been eligible to vote in your former county on election day;
- you were registered to vote in a former county when you moved; and
- your registration in the new county is not yet effective.
- If you vote a limited ballot, you may
vote on all statewide offices and propositions and for all
district offices which are common to your new and former counties
of residence.
- You must apply for a limited ballot and vote by personal appearance with the
early voting clerk conducting the election in your new county during the early
voting period which generally begins on the 17th day and continues through the 4th day
before an election, or by mail if you are eligible to vote by mail.
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
My name has changed. Can I still vote? |
|
You may continue to
vote. Vote by affidavit and present proof of identification during
this time if you used your certificate as your notice of name
change. Promptly notify the voter registrar in writing of
the name change following the same steps for change of address. Your spouse, parent or child (acting as an agent) may complete and
sign a change of name for you, provided that this person is a registered voter or has applied for
registration. You will receive a new, corrected certificate 30 days after your notice is received.
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
How do I get the voter registration cancelled if my family member is deceased? |
Did you receive any one of the following document types?
- Address Confirmation Form
- Voter Registration Certificate
- Jury Summons
If yes,
- Write the voter's name (if not pre-printed) on the form,
- Write “deceased” across the front of the form,
- Sign your name, and
- Record your relationship to the voter
beside your name (i.e. husband, wife, son, daughter, etc.)
Return the notice to our office. This voter registration record can now be cancelled.
If no,
Send a sworn statement to the Voter Registrar that the person is deceased:
- Include the name of the voter, registration address, and date of birth
- Sign your name, and record your relationship to the voter beside your name (i.e. husband, wife, son, daughter, etc.)
- Mail to the Harris County Voter Registrar:
Don Sumners
Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar
1001 Preston, Room 200
Houston,
TX 77002
This voter registration record can now be cancelled.
Or,
Send an original or certified copy of the Certificate of Death to our office.
- Include in your correspondence:
- Name of deceased voter,
- Voter's residence address on the registration,
- Voter's date of birth, and
- Your name and residence address.
This voter registration record can now be cancelled.
After cancellation of the voter registration, we will:
- Record the Certificate of Death in the voter's file, and
- Return the original Certificate of Death
to the sender. (Don't forget to include your name and address in
your correspondence.)
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
What does the term "suspense" mean on a voter's record? |
Pursuant to Sec.
13.146(b) of the Election Code, the term "suspense" is used to
designate those voters for whom the Harris County Voter Registrar
does not have a current Harris County address.
According to Election Code Sec.
16.032, a voter is to be put on suspense when:
- a voter's renewal certificate is returned to the voter registrar undelivered due to
erroneous address, or
- notice from another source such as a jury summons returned from a potential
juror indicates residence outside of Harris County, and
- the voter fails to respond to subsequent
address confirmation notices sent by the voter registrar.
A voter with this designation will be removed from suspense once that
person has advised the Harris County Registrar of Voters of his or her new address. This new
address is important, not only so that our records will be
accurate, but also so that the voter is registered at the address where he or she resides.
|
|
|
|
|
| Q. |
What happens to voters put on suspense? |
|
In order to maintain the accuracy of the voter roll, voters put on suspense who have not
provided the voter registrar with a new Harris County address are to be removed from the
voter roll in accordance with Sec. 16.032 of the Election Code. The Election Code
specifies that a suspended voter is to be removed (purged) from the voter roll on the
November 30, of the even year after the voter has been on suspense for two general
elections. The voter registrar maintains a list of suspended voters purged from the voter
roll.
|
|
|
|