How to vote in the May 2 election in Texas, including deadlines – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Below is information for the election on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Most of the races in this general election are local elections for city and county administrative positions, city bonds and propositions, school boards and school board bonds and propositions.

Information about the election can be found below on registration status, what’s on various ballots and where and how to vote.

Key Election Dates

• The last day to register to vote was Saturday, April 2.
• Early voting begins Monday, April 20.
• The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Monday, April 20.
• The last day of early voting is Tuesday, April 28.
• Election Day is Saturday, May 2.

Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Saturday, May 2, at the location of the election on Election Day and must be received by 5 p.m. Monday, May 4.

Check voter registration status

The last day to register to vote in Texas in the May 2 election was Thursday, April 2. You can check your voter status at VoteTexas.gov. You can register to vote in elections by printing out an application online and then mailing it to your county election office. Also, Texans can now register to vote online, but only when they renew or update their driver’s license.

Where do I vote? Can I vote anywhere?

Voters in more than a dozen North Texas counties are approved to use the Countywide Polling Place Program for the May 2 election, meaning voters can vote at any polling location they like in their home county — the county they are registered in.

Voters in Denton County must vote at their designated precinct on Election Day. Find your voting location on your county’s election webpage. See a statewide list of all approved CPPP counties here.

Wait times at voting sites may be posted on the county election websites in larger counties, allowing voters to head to polling places with shorter lines.

I am registered to vote, but I don’t have my voter registration card. Can I still vote?

Yes. You do not need your voter registration card to vote.

What ID do I need to vote in Texas?

You must present one of the following forms of photo ID when voting in person:

• Texas driver’s license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC) issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
• A United States Military Identification card containing the person’s photograph
• A United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
• A United States Passport (book or card)

Which races are on the ballot?

Sample ballots

Ballots are voter-specific based on precinct and county. To see your sample ballot, visit your county’s election page. A list of North Texas county election websites is below. Voting precinct locations can be found on county election pages below:

Anderson, Bosque, Comanche, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta,  Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Freestone, Hamilton, 
Henderson, Hill, Hood,  Hopkins, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Kaufman, Lamar, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, 
Red River, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, Van Zandt, Wise.

Where and when can you see election results?

Results will not be available until after the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day, May 2. Early voting numbers are typically released shortly after 7 p.m., and day-of ballots are then counted and updated throughout the night.

Download our app or sign up for email alerts to ensure you see the updates first.

Mail-in absentee ballots

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) dramatically reduced the number of locations across the state that can accept a handed-in absentee ballot to ensure that poll watchers (scroll down for more on poll watchers) had adequate access to each location. Beginning in October 2020, mail ballots delivered in person by eligible voters can only be delivered to one location in each Texas county — each county’s early voting clerk designates that location. You may only hand-deliver your envelope; you may not deliver a ballot for another individual, and you must bring ID.

To qualify for a mail-in ballot in Texas, voters must be away from their county of residence on Election Day and during the early voting period, sick or disabled, confined in jail but otherwise eligible to vote, or 65 years old or older. Absentee voters must also include their Texas driver’s license number, Texas DPS-issued ICN or ECN, or the last four digits of their Social Security number, whichever matches their voter record, or a statement that they have not been issued any of those forms of ID.

The last day to apply for an Absentee Ballot is Monday, April 20 (received, not postmarked). Absentee ballots may be submitted in person at any time as long as they are received by 7 p.m. on Election Day or the next business day at 5 p.m. if the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on Election Day.

• In Tarrant County, absentee ballots can be dropped off in person at the Tarrant County Elections Administration office at 2700 Premier Street during regular business hours. The ballot may also be hand-delivered on Election Day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Voters delivering a ballot on Election Day must bring ID and they can only hand-deliver their ballot. They are not allowed to deliver ballots for others. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier. Read more on the Tarrant County website.
• In Dallas County, absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Early Voting Clerk’s Office at 1520 Round Table Drive. A full schedule, with extended hours, is available on DallasCountyVotes.org. Voters delivering a ballot on Election Day must bring ID and they can only hand-deliver their ballot. They are not allowed to deliver ballots for others. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier.
• In Denton County, absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Early Voting Clerk’s Office at 701 Kimberly Drive. Ballots may be hand-delivered during regular business hours. You may only hand-deliver your own envelope and not for another individual and you must bring ID. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier.  Read more on the Denton County website.
• In Collin County, absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Elections Department at 2010 Redbud Boulevard, Suite 102, during regular business hours. More information can be found on the Collin County website. You may only hand-deliver your own envelope and not for another individual, and you must bring ID. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier.

How do I check to see if my mail-in ballot has been received?

If you want to verify whether your mail-in or in-person ballot has been received, you can track it on the Texas Secretary of State website. Ballots mailed in may take a few days to appear on the website.

No straight-ticket voting in Texas

Most states don’t offer straight-ticket voting. Texas did for decades, but Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law removing the option in 2020. That measure was pushed through by a GOP-controlled Legislature that argued the change would encourage voters to cast better-informed ballots on Election Day.

Democrats challenged the change in court in March 2020, citing long Super Tuesday lines in Houston, where some voters waited more than an hour to vote. They claimed the law around straight-ticket voting disproportionately hurt Black and Latino voters in big urban counties, where longer ballots mean increased wait times.

What is a poll watcher in Texas?

A poll watcher is a person appointed to observe the conduct of an election on behalf of a candidate, political party or the proponents or opponents of a particular measure. Their role in an election is established by Chapter 33 of the Texas Election Code and they must adhere to specific rules at polling locations.

The primary duty of a watcher is to observe the conduct of the election at the location where the watcher has been appointed. A watcher may point out to an election judge or clerk any observed irregularity or violation of the Texas Election Code. However, if the clerk refers the watcher to the judge, the watcher may not discuss the matter further with the clerk unless the presiding judge invites the discussion.

• A poll watcher must have a certificate of appointment that includes their name, address, information on who appointed them and the precinct in which they are permitted to serve.
• Poll watchers cannot be current candidates or elected officials.
• Poll watchers are not allowed to engage or talk to voters in any manner about the election.
• No more than two poll watchers may be at any particular polling place at any given time.
• Poll watchers cannot talk with an election officer regarding the election except to call attention to an irregularity or violation.
• The watcher cannot reveal information about voters or the votes before the polls close or face possible criminal charges.
• A poll watcher can witness the installation of voting equipment and observe the securing of equipment before the election.
• A poll watcher can observe any activity conducted at the location and sit or stand conveniently near the election officials to observe the election activities, but they are not allowed to go into voting booths with voters while they are marking their ballots.
• Poll watchers are permitted to observe election officials’ assistance to voters and inspect the ballot before it’s deposited in the ballot box to determine whether it was prepared according to the voter’s wishes.
• Poll watchers are permitted to inspect the returns and other records prepared by election officials. They are also allowed to observe the tallying and counting of votes to verify that they are tallied and read correctly.
• Poll watchers may also be on the lookout for illegal activities, including but not limited to electioneering, loitering, voters attempting to vote without identification, and others attempting to coerce or bribe voters.

The Texas Poll Watchers Guide can be found in this document from the Texas Secretary of State.