Voter Guide November 2022: What you need to know to vote in Central Texas
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the Nov. 8 election, from where to vote to what's on the ballot.
The 2022 election is Tuesday, Nov. 8, and Central Texas residents will be casting their votes in local, state and federal races, from who will be Austin's next mayor to who will be the next governor of Texas.
The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election was Tuesday, Oct. 11. You can check online to see if you are currently registered.
Early voting for the November election began on Monday, Oct. 24, and ran until Friday, Nov. 4. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Here is everything you need to know about voting in the election, from polling locations and mail-in ballot information to what you may see on your ballot.
Election map
When and where you can vote
Registered and eligible Texas voters may vote at any early voting location located in the county in which they live.
You can find early voting locations in your area on the Vote Texas website two days before the first day of early voting. All voters have to do is plug in their information in order to find polling locations. Many counties also already have locations listed on their elections websites.
Early voting for the November election began on Monday, Oct. 24, and ran until Friday, Nov. 4. During early voting, polling place hours varied at each location.
RELATED:
On Election Day, Nov. 8, things work a little differently.
You will want to see if the county you live in participates in the Countywide Polling Place Program (CWPP). If your county does participate in CWPP, you can vote at any polling place in the county. Travis and Williamson counties allow voters to cast ballots at any polling location in the county. If your county doesn't participate in CWPP, you can only vote at the polling place assigned to your precinct on Election Day.
On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you are in line by 7 p.m., you will be able to vote.
How to vote by mail
If you want to vote by mail in this election, you'll need to apply for a ballot by filling out an application and mailing it to your county elections department. Applications for mail-in ballots have been open since Jan. 1, but the last day to apply for one is Friday, Oct. 28.
To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, one of the following must apply:
- be 65 years or older
- be sick or disabled
- be out of the county on Election Day and during the period for early voting
- be expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
- be confined in jail but otherwise eligible
A new Texas law requires voters applying for mail-in ballots to include either their driver's license/state-issued personal ID/election identification certification numbers or the last four digits of their social security number on the application. The Texas Secretary of State recommends voters include both numbers on their application to ensure they are granted ballots.
Your mail-in ballot application must be sent to your county's elections clerk and must be received (not postmarked) by Oct. 28 before the close of regular business or by noon, whichever is later. Applications to vote by mail can also be submitted in person or by email or fax. If your application is submitted via email or fax, Texas law still requires you to mail in the paper application and it must be postmarked by Oct. 28.
Once you receive your mail-in ballot and have marked your choices, place your voted ballot in the envelope marked "ballot envelope" and seal that envelope. Then place the ballot envelope inside the carrier envelope. Before sealing the carrier envelope, you must include in the space provided either your driver's license/state-issued personal ID/election identification certification numbers or the last four digits of your social security number.
Once your carrier envelope is sealed, sign it and return it to your county's elections clerk either by mail, by common or contract carrier or in person.
The elections office must receive your marked ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day unless:
- The postmarked ballot was mailed within the U.S. from non-military voters and from any military voters who submitted a mail-in ballot application. In this case, it must be received by 5 p.m. the first business day after Election Day
- The ballot was submitted from outside the U.S. In this case, it must be received by the fifth day after Election Day
Voters can track their ballot by mail here.
What you need to bring to vote
To vote in Texas, you need to have a form of identification when you go to cast your ballot at a polling location. Here is a list of acceptable forms of photo identification:
- 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
- U.S. Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
- U.S. Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
- U.S. Passport (book or card)
With the exception of the U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which doesn't expire, for voters aged 18-69, the acceptable form of photo ID may be expired up to four years. For voters 70 years old or older, the acceptable form of photo ID may be expired for any length of time if the ID is otherwise valid.
If you don't have one of the forms of ID listed above and can't reasonably obtain one, you can bring one of the following in order to execute a "Reasonable Impediment Declaration":
- Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
- Copy of or original current utility bill
- Copy of or original bank statement
- Copy of or original government check
- Copy of or original paycheck
- Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)
What will be on the ballot?
There's a lot going on for this election. Here's a look at some of the key races you may see on your ballot, depending on where you live.
Statewide offices
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a third term, facing off against Democrat and former El Paso congressman, U.S. Senate nominee and presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke.
A Democrat has not been governor of Texas since 1995.
Greg Abbott was elected as the 48th governor of Texas in 2014 and assumed office in 2015. Prior to that, he was the 50th and longest-serving Texas attorney general, a position he held from 2002 until 2015. He also previously served as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court for several years and as a state district judge in Harris County.
According to his campaign website, Abbott’s primary issues include growing the Texas economy, defending the Second Amendment, protecting religious freedom, supporting law enforcement and securing the Texas-Mexico border, among other things. Learn more about Abbott and his priorities.
Beto O'Rourke (D) served as a member of the El Paso City Council for several years and as a U.S. Representative for the El Paso area from 2013 until 2019. In 2018, O’Rourke ran for U.S. Senate against Republican Ted Cruz and lost. In March 2019, O’Rourke announced his candidacy in the 2020 presidential election but ended his campaign eight months later.
O’Rourke's campaign website states that his primary issues include power grid stability, affordable health care, high-quality jobs, reproductive health and rural investment, among other things. Learn more about O'Rourke and his priorities.
Libertarian Mark Tippetts and Green Party candidate Delilah Barrios are also running for governor.
Incumbent Dan Patrick (R) faces Mike Collier (D) in the race for Texas lieutenant governor.
Dan Patrick was first elected lieutenant governor of Texas in 2014 and was reelected in 2018. His campaign website states that he has presided over "what has been called the most conservative and productive sessions of the State Senate in Texas history." Before he was elected lieutenant governor, he was twice elected to the Texas Senate, representing part of Houston and Harris County.
According to his campaign website, Patrick's primary issues include border security, reducing property and businesses taxes and protecting the Second Amendment. Learn more about Patrick and his priorities.
Mike Collier worked as a landman just out of college before becoming a certified public accountant and an auditor. According to his campaign website, he later worked as a CFO for a Texas energy company and today he "guides companies as they make investments in energy" across Texas.
Collier was the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018, when he lost to Patrick by nearly 5 percentage points. Collier also ran for comptroller in 2014 and lost to current officeholder Glenn Hegar.
Collier's primary issues include funding public schools, fixing the state's power grid, protecting women's rights and investing in rural communities, according to his campaign website. Learn more about Collier and his priorities.
In addition to Patrick and Collier, Libertarian Shanna Steel is also running for lieutenant governor.
Embattled incumbent Ken Paxton (R) is running for reelection against Democrat Rochelle Garza.
Paxton was elected as the 51st attorney general of Texas in 2014 and has served in elected positions in Texas for 20 years. He was first elected in 2002 as a state representative for House District 70, and he served in the Texas House for 10 years before being elected to represent Texas Senate District 8 in 2012, where he served until being elected attorney general. Learn more about Paxton and his priorities.
Throughout his time as attorney general, Paxton has faced many controversies, including allegations of professional misconduct related to his lawsuit challenging the 2020 presidential election, allegations of abuse of office related to accusations of bribery from eight former employees and a years-old securities fraud case for which he was indicted on felony charges.
Rochelle Garza has served as a staff attorney for the ACLU of Texas and a managing partner of Garza & Garza Law PLLC. Her work as a civil rights lawyer has included, among other things, fighting for the reproductive rights of teens in detention. According to her website, she has received national, state and local recognition for her work. Learn more about Garza and her priorities.
Libertarian Mark Ash is also running for attorney general.
This race is wide open as incumbent George P. Bush decided to run for attorney general, but lost to incumbent Ken Paxton in the March primary.
Republican Dr. Dawn Buckingham describes herself as an "avid hunter, outdoorswoman, and steward of the land." According to her campaign website, in 2016, she became the first woman elected to the Texas State Senate from Travis County. If she were to win the land commissioner race, she would become the state's first female land commissioner. Learn more about Buckingham and her priorities.
Democrat Jay Kleberg describes himself as a sixth-generation Texan who grew up in an agricultural community. He is the former associate director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and the co-founder and managing director of Explore Ranches, as well as a film producer. Learn more about Kleberg and his priorities.
In addition to Buckingham and Kleberg, Green Party candidate Alfred Molison is also running for land commissioner.
Incumbent Republican Sid Miller is running for reelection against Democrat Susan Hays.
Miller was first elected as the state's agriculture commissioner in 2014 and was reelected in 2018. He was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2000 and, prior to that, served as an ag teacher and school board member. Miller also hosts a weekly show on RFD-TV called Texas Agriculture Matters, breeds and trains American Quarter Horses and is a recognized rodeo cowboy.
Hays has a long legal career that has included, according to her campaign website, writing legal briefs on marriage equality, immigration and reproductive rights; becoming Texas' first "cannabis super lawyer," helping to write the Texas hemp legalization brief in 2019; and becoming board certified in legislative and campaign law, a specialty that focuses on ethics.
Incumbent Glenn Hegar (R) and Janet T. Dudding (D) are facing off in the race for Texas comptroller.
Hegar is running for a third term. He was first elected as the state's comptroller in 2014. His campaign website states that he “believes all levels of government should be open and accountable to those who pay the bills — the Texas taxpayers.” Prior to serving as comptroller, Hegar oversaw state and local revenue matters during the 83rd legislative session in 2013.
Dudding is a certified public accountant who began her governmental accounting career with the Office of the State Auditor, according to her campaign website. Dudding has served as a Democratic precinct chair and a member of the Texas Democratic Women Executive Board and has served on numerous other boards.
In addition to Hegar and Dudding, Libertarian V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza is also running for comptroller.
Railroad Commissioner
Members of the three-person Railroad Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry, are elected statewide. This year, one seat is up for election.
Republican Wayne Christian currently serves on the commission, along with Christi Craddick and James Wright, who both supported him for reelection. Craddick serves as the commission's chair.
Since taking office in 2016, Christian was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission as the official representative of Texas. Before his time as railroad commissioner, he served seven sessions as a conservative member of the Texas House of Representatives.
Democratic challenger Luke Warford says on his campaign website that he is running because he believes the Texas Railroad Commission is "one of the most important elected officers in the state," adding that "700 Texans died unnecessarily during Winter Storm Uri in a grid failure that could have been prevented if the Texas Railroad Commission had done their jobs."
In addition to Christian and Warford, Libertarian Jaime Andrés Díez and Green Party candidate Hunter Crow are also running for the Texas Railroad Commission seat.
U.S. House of Representatives
District 10
(Bastrop, Fayette, Lee, Travis, Williamson counties)
- Michael McCaul (R - incumbent)
- Linda Nuno (D)
- Bill Kelsey (L)
District 11
(Llano, Mason counties)
- August Pfluger (R - incumbent)
District 17
(Williamson County)
- Pete Sessions (R - incumbent)
- Mary Jo Woods (D)
House District 21
(Blanco, Gillespie, Hays, Travis counties)
- Chip Roy (R - incumbent)
- Claudia Andreana Zapata (D)
House District 27
(Bastrop, Caldwell counties)
- Michael Cloud (R - incumbent)
- Maclovio Perez Jr. (D)
House District 31
(Burnet, Williamson counties)
- John Carter (R - incumbent)
House District 35
(Hays, Travis counties)
- Greg Casar (D)
- Dan McQueen (R)
House District 37
(Travis, Williamson counties)
- Lloyd Doggett (D)
- Jenny Garcia Sharon (R)
- Clark Patterson (L)
State races in Texas
Texas Senate District 5
(Bastrop, Williamson counties)
- Charles Schwertner (R - incumbent)
- Tommy Estes (L)
Texas Senate District 14
(Travis County)
- Sarah Eckhardt (D - incumbent)
- Steven Haskett (L)
Texas Senate District 18
(Fayette, Lee counties)
- Lois Kolkhorst (R - incumbent)
- Josh Tutt (D)
Texas Senate District 21
(Caldwell, Hays, Travis counties)
- Judith Zaffirini (D - incumbent)
- Julie Dahlberg (R)
- Arthur DiBianca (L)
Texas Senate District 24
(Burnet, Gillespie, Llano counties)
- Pete Flores (R)
- Kathy Jones Hospod (D)
Texas Senate District 25
(Blanco, Hays, Travis counties)
- Donna Campbell (R - incumbent)
- Robert Walsh (D)
Texas Senate District 28
(Mason County)
- Charles Perry (R - incumbent)
Texas House District 17
(Bastrop, Caldwell, Lee counties)
- Stan Gerdes (R)
- Madeline Eden (D)
- Linda Curtis (I)
Texas House District 19
(Blanco, Burnet, Gillespie, Travis counties)
- Ellen Troxclair (R)
- Pam Badgett (D)
Texas House District 20
(Williamson County)
- Terry Wilson (R - incumbent)
- Raul Camacho (D)
Texas House District 45
(Hays County)
- Erin Zwiener (D - incumbent)
- Michelle Lopez (R)
Texas House District 46
(Travis County)
- Sheryl Cole (D - incumbent)
- Sam Strasser (R)
- Tom Kost (L)
Texas House District 47
(Travis County)
- Vikki Goodwin (D - incumbent)
- Rob McCarthy (R)
Texas House District 48
(Travis County)
- Donna Howard (D - incumbent)
- Daniel McCarthy (L)
Texas House District 49
(Travis County)
- Gina Hinojosa (D - incumbent)
- Katherine Griffin (R)
- David Roberson (L)
Texas House District 50
(Travis County)
- Victor Johnson (R)
- James Talarico (D)
- Ted Brown (L)
Texas House District 51
(Travis County)
Texas House District 52
(Williamson County)
- Caroline Harris (R)
- Luis Echegaray (D)
Texas House District 53
(Llano, Mason counties)
- Andrew Murr (R - incumbent)
- Joe P. Herrera (D)
Texas House District 73
(Hays County)
- Carrie Isaac (R)
- Justin Calhoun (D)
Texas House District 85
(Fayette County)
- Stan Kitzman (R)
- Larry E. Baggett (D)
- Michael Miller (L)
Texas House District 136
(Williamson County)
- John Bucy III (D - incumbent)
- Michelle Evans (R)
- Barton Culley (L)
Texas Board of Education - Place 5
- Rebecca Bell-Metereu (D - incumbent)
- Perla Hopkins (R)
Texas Board of Education - Place 10
- Tom Maynard (R)
Local races in Central Texas
Below are some of the major local races for the November election.
Austin Mayor
Austin City Council – District 3
Austin City Council – District 5
Austin City Council – District 8
- Paige Ellis (incumbent)
- Kimberly Hawkins
- Antonio Ross
- Richard Smith
Austin City Council – District 9
How to get the latest election results
Be sure to bookmark kvue.com/elections in order to get live results once the polling sites around Central Texas close on Election Day. Follow along with the latest election stories at kvue.com/VoteTexas.
Download the KVUE mobile app to get election results straight to your phone. Once the app is downloaded, be sure to select the topics you want to receive notifications about, including "Vote Texas" and "politics."