Voter Registration 101 & Events for Feb. 4- Feb. 10

On By teresacropper

Voter Registration 101

This blog post is dedicated to thoroughly breaking down voter registration in Texas. Even though it is a lot of information, hopefully, this will answer any current or future questions about voter registration. To start off, I will identify important key players in the process:

  • Tx SOS: The Texas Secretary of State (SOS) is appointed by the Governor, with confirmation by the Senate. The Secretary serves as Chief Election Officer for Texas, assisting county election officials and ensuring the uniform application and interpretation of election laws throughout Texas.
  • County Elections offices: County elections officers are in charge of processing voter registration application and issuing voter registration cards.
  • VDR: Volunteer Deputy Registrars are entrusted with the responsibility of officially registering voters in the State of Texas. They are appointed by county voter registrars and charged with helping increase voter registration in the state.

Williamson County is providing several extra VDR trainings this semester which I’ve been listing in my posts. Y’all should definitely take advantage of them! You’ll be able to register people in Wilco for 2 years! Check out this link for the qualifications of being a VDR.

Where can I register to vote? Voting in Texas is done county by county and you must get registered to vote in the county you reside in. If you live in more than one county, you may choose which one you want to be registered in. So, for college students (who are going to college in a different county from their home), this means that you can either be registered in your home county or here, in Williamson County. You MUST vote in person or via mail-in ballot for wherever you are registered. For example, if you’re registered to vote in Austin (Travis County), you cannot vote on a full ballot in Williamson County. This means that if you’re registered to vote outside of Williamson County, during the school year you have 3 options for voting:

1) go home and vote in your county

2) get a mail-in ballot or

3) change your registration to vote in Williamson County.

**Important note, if you move you must be sure to update your voter registration card! If you move within your county, you can update your info here https://txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/sos/SOSACManager. If you move counties, you must get registered to vote in that county and make sure to fill out “change of Address, name or other information.”

How do I get registered? In Texas, you must get registered by a VDR from your county OR you can print out a pdf of the application and mail it or drop it off at your county elections office. If you want to get registered outside of Williamson, check out this link: https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/vrapp/index.asp. If you want to be registered in Williamson, check out this link: https://www.wilco.org/Departments/Elections/Voter-Registration/Register-to-Vote.

** Another Important note: you CANNOT get registered to vote online in Texas. Over the past midterms, there were several people who registered to vote on vote.org and they were denied voting registration cards. So, make sure you follow the processes laid out above.

When should I get registered? As long as you are 17 and 10 months old, you can get registered to vote whenever. However, if you are planning on voting in an upcoming election, you have to be registered 30 days before you can actually vote. If 30 days before the election is on the weekend or a holiday, the application is considered timely if submitted before the or on the next election day.

Am I already registered to vote? Check if you’re registered (it is illegal to be registered in two counties!!) and if you are eligible to vote (https://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/).

Events for Feb. 4- Feb. 10

Feb. 5

  • Liberation Not Incarceration Advocacy Day 2019: Texas Advocates for Justice and Grassroots Leadership join forces to rally against incarceration and deportation outside the Capitol. 9:30 am- 3pm at the Texas Capitol. Sign up and find out more here
  • Georgetown Public Library Advisory Board: 5:30- 6:30 pm at the Georgetown Public Library (402 W. 8th Street Georgetown, Texas 78626). This Board makes recommendations regarding the development of the book collection, programming, and other services provided by the Georgetown Public Library.
  • Williamson County Volunteer Deputy Registrar Training: Want to be able to register people to vote? Come to this training at 2 pm or 6 pm to become a Volunteer Deputy Registrar! Please contact Williamson County elections department either by email (teamtraining@wilco.org) or by telephone (Holly Justice 512-943-1629 or Jessica Ham 512-943-1690) to reserve your spot in one of the training classes no later than noon the day of. Once your request is received, they will either send an email or call you confirming your reserved spot for training. All training classes will be offered at the Elections Department located at 301 SE Inner Loop Georgetown, TX 78626.
  • Georgetown Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting: 6 pm at City council Chambers (101 E. 7th Street Georgetown Texas 78626). The Planning and Zoning Commission is an appointed seven-member body assigned the task of reviewing various types of development related applications and providing recommendations on such to the Georgetown City Council.

Feb. 6

  • Georgetown Main Street Advisory Board Committee Meeting: 4:30 pm at Georgetown City Hall (113 E. 8th St Georgetown, Texas 78626). The Main Street Advisory Board assists the Downtown Development Manager in a number of ways, including expanding the interest base and support group and fundraising for the Main Street Program or special projects through the Main Street Program.This board identifies and utilizes local, state, federal and private sources including grants and contributions.  

Feb. 7

  • Georgetown 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee Meeting: 6 pm at the Georgetown Public Library (402 W. 8th Street Georgetown, Texas 78626). The purpose of this steering committee is to provide recommendations to  City Council and the joint work sessions with the Planning and Zoning Commission and act as ambassadors of the Plan, building consensus within the Community.
  • No Kill Day at the Capitol: Hosted by Texas Pets Alive and Austin Pets Alive, the public is invited to come out and show support for no-kill laws. Celebrate progress made and the legislators who’ve supported animal rights. 11am-12:30 pm at the Texas Capitol. To learn more, go here.

Feb. 8

  • Georgetown Convention and Visitors Bureau Board Meeting: 8:30- 9:30 am at Convention & Visitors Bureau Office (103 West 7th Street, Georgetown Texas 78626). The mission of the Georgetown Convention & Visitors Bureau is to encourage the community’s economic success through the promotion of Georgetown as a tourist destination, preserve & enhance the cultural heritage and unique character of the community, and attract conventions and group tours to maximize the financial impact of tourism on the community.
  • Georgetown Main Street Advisory Board Meeting: 8:30- 9:30 am at Georgetown City Council (113 E. 8th St., Georgetown, Texas 78626). The Main Street Advisory Board assists the Downtown Development Manager in a number of ways, including expanding the interest base and support group and fundraising for the Main Street Program or special projects through the Main Street Program.
  • Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board Meeting: 10-11 am at Georgetown Municipal Complex (300-1 Industrial Blvd, Georgetown, 78626). This Board advises and assists City Council in the development of a multi-modal transportation planning process in coordination with regional, state, county, and local transportation agencies.
  • Georgetown Utility System Advisory Board Meeting: 2-3 pm at Georgetown Municipal Complex (300-1 Industrial Blvd, Georgetown, 78626). The GUS Board makes recommendations to City Council regarding staff presentations related to capital improvement projects and priorities, utility services, resource supplies, and other Council-assigned projects.

Feb. 10

Texas Freedom Network LGBT & TX Lege Info Session: starting at 12:45 at the Congregational Church of Austin on Sunday, the Texas Freedom Network will share what they expect for the LGBT community during this Texas Legislative Session. Feel free to park for free in the UT Co-op garage on the southwest corner of San Antonio St and 23rd St. The church where the meeting is being held is on the northeast corner of San Antonio and 23rd St. Parking is free until 2 pm.  https://www.facebook.com/events/277399396269413/