Election time is fast approaching in Texas and all across the country as senators, congressional representatives, governors and many more government positions are set to be voted on in 2022. Voting as a college student can be confusing, especially in elections that get less publicity than a presidential election, so here is a guide to voting in Texas and beyond.

Clay Convery, a senior environmental studies major from Flower Mound, Texas, reflected on his voting history as a citizen and Trinity student.

“I’ve been registered to vote in my home county, Denton, Texas, since 2018,” Convery wrote in a text. “I plan on trying to absentee vote again, however, I understand that the process has become even more intensive and complicated since the 2020 election.”

Convery alludes to statewide voting laws that have come into effect since the 2020 election. Texas Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) signed by Governor Greg Abbott made several changes to the voting process including a ban on drive-thru voting, a ban on 24-hour voting, new ID requirements by mail and a correction process for mail-in voting. For Texas voters, these new regulations may be difficult to navigate when registering and voting by mail.

Registration Requirements and Processes

A Texan is eligible to vote if they are: a United States citizen, legally registered to vote in Texas, at least 18 years old on Election Day and not a convicted felon. The deadline to register to vote for the 2022 Texas primary election has passed. However, the deadline to register to vote for the 2022 Texas general election in November is Oct. 11.

For those who live in a state or U.S. territory other than Texas, different laws and regulations apply. Howto.vote outlines specific dates and laws for all U.S. territories, including how to register and mail absentee ballots for their respective elections.

The Texas Secretary of State’s website offers information to clarify Texas registration status and requirements. As a new or existing Bexar County resident, it is important to update a new address by visiting the Official website of the State of Texas in order to keep in accordance with the law. As a Trinity student, this is only applicable to students who live off-campus permanently in Bexar County. Something to keep in mind is that according to the official website of the State of Texas, once registered for a new county, the old county’s registration is void.

How to Vote In-Person and By Mail in Texas

To determine a place to vote in person, Bexar County’s website maps 35 early vote election locations. Lion’s Field at 2809 Broadway St. San Antonio TX 78209 is the closest location to Trinity at a 20-minute walk or 1-mile drive from campus.

When voting in-person, an identification card, deemed acceptable by the state of Texas as outlined on the votetexas website, is necessary. It is important to note that a Trinity identification card is not accepted at the polls as an appropriate form of ID. Early voting for the 2022 primary election in Bexar County is set to begin on Feb. 14 and last until Feb. 25 with no voting available on Feb. 21 due to the President’s Day holiday. The primary election day is Tuesday, March 1.

As a non-Bexar County Texas resident, it is possible to apply for a ballot by mail. Print out, complete and mail the absentee application for a ballot by mail to the address corresponding with the Texas county found on the votetexas website to successfully vote in the primary and general elections. A ballot will be mailed back to the address given on the application and can be filled out by the requestee. The deadline to turn in a ballot by mail for the primaries is March 1 at 7 p.m., or by 5 p.m. on March 2 if postmarked by 7 p.m. the day prior.

If you need more information or have any questions, on Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Coates Library, Room 103, “Student Involvement, Student Government Association, and MOVE Texas will support and provide information about voter registration and early voting efforts,” according to a Humanities Collective email. This will coincide with the collective’s Douglass Day Transcribe-a-Thon in the same location.