Texas: Do you need an ID to vote?
Texas asks for one of seven photo IDs; a voter who can't reasonably get one may sign a declaration and show a non-photo document.
The seven IDs are a Texas driver license, Election Identification Certificate, personal ID card, or handgun license; a U.S. military photo ID; a U.S. citizenship certificate with photo; or a U.S. passport. A voter who does not have and cannot reasonably obtain one may sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and show a supporting document, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or birth certificate, and vote a regular ballot. A voter who has none of these votes provisionally and has six days to show an accepted photo ID to the county voter registrar. Making a false statement on the declaration is a crime.
Conditions
- One of seven accepted photo IDs, or
- A signed Reasonable Impediment Declaration plus a supporting document, for voters who cannot reasonably obtain a photo ID
What the law says
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (h), on offering to vote, a voter must present to an election officer at the polling place: (1) one form of photo identification listed in Section 63.0101(a); or (2) one form of identification listed in Section 63.0101(b) accompanied by the declaration described by Subsection (i).
Sources
- Tex. Elec. Code § 63.001 (FindLaw) Mirror of official text · codes.findlaw.com
- Texas Secretary of State, Texas Voter ID Requirements Official · votetexas.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division
- Phone
- 800-252-8683
- Website
- votetexas.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arkansas Photo ID requiredArkansas requires photo ID; a voter without it casts a provisional ballot that counts only if ID is shown by noon the following Monday.
- Louisiana Photo ID requestedLouisiana asks for photo ID, but a voter without one can sign an affidavit at the polls and vote.
- New Mexico No ID document requiredNew Mexico voters can identify themselves at the polls by stating their name, registration address and year of birth, without showing a document.
- Oklahoma ID required, non-photo acceptedOklahoma requires proof of identity at the polls, and the county's free voter ID card counts even though it has no photo.