How to register to vote in Texas for the May 1 city election

SAN ANTONIO – The city and schools election is coming up on May 1, and if you want to cast your ballot, you’ll need to be sure you’re registered to vote.

In San Antonio, the mayor’s race, all 10 city council seats, a proposition aimed at repealing the police department’s collective bargaining right and a proposed change to the City Charter will all be on the ballot.

Any U.S. citizen who is 18 years old by Election Day and registered to vote in Texas by the April 1 voter registration deadline can vote in the election, with few exceptions prohibited by law.

So, how can you figure out if you’re registered to vote? You can click here to check (select “Name, County, Date” on the right-hand side and input your information).

If you’re not registered already, you have three options for registering.

1. You can fill out a voter registration application online. You will need to print it out and mail it to the voter registrar in your county of residence.
2. You can also register in person at your county voter registration office. The Bexar County Elections office is located at 1103 S. Frio, Suite 100. If you live in a county other than Bexar, you can find out where to register in person here.
3. Or, you can request a postage-paid application from your voter registrar by filling out this form.

If you are registered, but you’ve lost your voter registration card, you can notify your county voter registrar in writing to get a new one.

You won’t need your voter registration card when you vote, but you will need a valid form of identification to vote in Texas.

Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID, bring one to the polling place when you cast your ballot:

• Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
• United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
• United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States Passport (book or card)

Early voting starts on Monday, April 19 and ends on Tuesday, April 27 or you can vote on Election Day on May 1.

Bexar County voters who are interested in voting by mail must submit this application to the Bexar County Elections Department, but the applications must be received — not postmarked — no later than 11 days before Election Day. For the May 1 election, the deadline is 5:00 PM on April 20, 2021. If you have questions, call 210-335-0362.

Once you fill out the application, mail it to:

Bexar County Elections (Early Voting Clerk)

1103 S. Frio St., Suite 200

San Antonio, TX 78207-6328

You can also hand-deliver your ballot to the Early Voting Clerk from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2021, only.

Click here to find out where to submit your application for ballot by mail in other Texas counties.

Find more coverage of the 2021 election here.

Also on KSAT:

• What questions do you have for candidates in San Antonio’s May 1 City Election?
• What you need to know about voting in the San Antonio city, school election in May 2021
• City Council adds charter change for bond projects to May 1 ballot
• With petition certified, voters will decide on repeal of SAPD’s collective bargaining rights