Voter Guide: May 3, 2025 North Texas election

Below is the voter's guide to the May 3, 2025, uniform election. In it, you will find key dates, how to register to vote or check your status, how to find out where and when you can vote, and what you'll need to bring with you. There is also information on what races will be decided by North Texas voters and other election-related topics, such as poll watchers and straight-ticket voting.

KEY ELECTION DATES

• The last day to register to vote is Thursday, April 3, 2025
• Early voting begins on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
• The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Tuesday, April 22, 2025
• The last day of early voting is Tuesday, April 29, 2025
• Election Day is Saturday, May 3, 2025
• Mail-in ballots must be received or postmarked by 7 p.m., Saturday, May 3, 2025, or Monday, May 5, 2025 (next business day after Election Day) at 5 p.m. if the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on Election Day.

CHECK VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

The last day to register to vote in Texas in the May 3 election was Thursday, April 3. You can check your voter status at . You cannot vote in this election if you have not registered. However, you can still register to vote in future elections by  and then mailing it to your county election office. The next election is Nov. 4, 2025. Also, Texans can now register to vote online, but only when they renew or update their driver's license.

WHERE DO I VOTE?

Voters in more than a dozen North Texas counties are approved to use the  for the May 3 uniform election, meaning voters can vote at any polling location they like in their home county -- the county they are registered in. Those CPPP-approved counties are Collin, Comanche, Dallas, Ellis, Erath, Grayson, Henderson, Hood, Hopkins, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker and Tarrant.

Voters in all other North Texas counties, including Denton, must vote at their designated precinct on Election Day. Find your voting location on your county's election webpage. .

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.

WHAT ID DO I NEED TO VOTE?

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)

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.

TEXAS COUNTY ELECTION WEBSITES

Voting precinct locations can be found on county election pages here: , , , , , , ,  ,  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

WHERE AND WHEN CAN I SEE ELECTION RESULTS?

We will link our main election coverage on the evening before Election Day. That article will include links to all races and our live coverage, streaming throughout the night. Check back for the link.

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

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

BOND PACKAGES

Several cities and school districts will ask voters to approve bond packages on May 3. Articles with more details are available below for bond packages in Arlington, DeSoto, Frisco and Mesquite.

FREE RIDES TO THE POLLS

DART
Historically, DART has provided free transportation to polling locations on Election Day. Voters can ride at no charge on all DART buses, trains, GoLink, the Dallas Streetcar, Paratransit Services and the TRE between EBJ Union Station and CentrePort/DFW Airport Station. Customers need to show a valid voter registration card to ride for free on the day of the election. You can learn more at .

TRINITY METRO
Trinity Metro confirmed it will again be offering free rides for voters on all local services on Election Day. More details are forthcoming, but in the past, customers riding to or from the polls have been eligible for free rides on Trinity Metro buses, Trinity Metro On-Demand rideshare services (including paratransit) and Trinity Metro TEXRail. Free rides also included Trinity Railway Express stations in Tarrant County, including CentrePort. Customers should notify their driver or train conductor that they are traveling to or from a voting location to get a free ride.

DCTA
Historically, the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) has provided free rides to the polls on Election Day only via train, bus and GoZone.

STAR TRANSIT
to local polling places for early and Election Day voting. Free early voting service will be available on weekdays across the entire STAR Transit service area from Tuesday, April 22, through Tuesday, April 29, and on Saturday, April 26 in Balch Springs, Mesquite, and Terrell only.  Free rides on Election Day will be available Saturday, May 3, in Balch Springs, Mesquite, and Terrell only.

WHEN IS EARLY VOTING?

Early voting was from Tuesday, April 22, through Tuesday, April 29. If you do not vote during early voting, your last chance to vote for this election is on Election Day, Saturday, May 3.

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 Tuesday, April 22 (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. .
• 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 . 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.  .
• In Collin County, absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Elections Department at 2010 Redbud Boulevard, Suite 102, 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.

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, . 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 ballot.
• Poll watchers are permitted to observe assistance given to voters by election officials and to inspect the ballot before it's deposited in the ballot box to determine if it was prepared in accordance with 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, others attempting to coerce or bribe voters.

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