There are two elections in May this year. The run-off election for the March primaries will take place on May 24, but before that, there’s another important chance to vote.
On May 7, voters can weigh in on two state constitutional amendments as well as city bond proposals in San Antonio. Several local school districts have bond issues on the ballot and there are some municipalities deciding on mayor and city council races. You can see the full ballot here.
Ad
You may have questions about how, when and where to vote — and we’ve got you covered.
Earl voting is underway for May 7 election. Here’s where to vote early in Bexar County.
Get more election news on KSAT’s Vote 2022 page.
What is on the May 7 ballot in Bexar County?
Voters in Bexar County on May 7 will decide whether to lower some property tax bills, approve bonds and elect municipal and school district officials. Everyone in Texas will have two constitutional amendment propositions regarding the homestead exemption on their ballots, the rest of the ballot is determined by your voting precinct.
Ad
Who can vote in the May 7 Joint Amendment, General, Special and Bond Election?
U.S. citizens who are 18 years old by the May 7 election day and registered to vote by April 7 in Texas can vote, unless prohibited by law.
How can I find out if I’m registered to vote?
Click here to check to see if you’re registered.
What if I’ve lost my voter registration card?
You can notify your county voter registrar in writing to get a new one.
If I’m not already registered to vote, how do I register?
There are several ways to register.
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.
You can 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.
Ad
You can request a postage-paid application from your voter registrar by filling out this form.
When do I vote in the May 7 election?
The obvious answer is May 7. And while that is election day and voters can head to the polls between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. that Saturday, voters also have a chance to vote early between April 25 and May 3.
Click here for a list of early voting locations in Bexar County.
Some voters may be eligible to vote by mail.
Who can vote by mail?
U.S. Armed Forces and Merchant Marines, their dependents and U.S. citizens who live abroad can vote early by mail. For more information, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website.
Mail/absentee ballot voting is also available to elderly voters and voters with physical disabilities. You may be eligible to vote by mail if you are:
Ad
-
Going to be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting.
-
Out-of-state college students who still claim a Texas address as their primary residence.
-
Sick or disabled
-
65 years of age or older on Election Day
Absentee/mail-in ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots from overseas voters must be received by the 5th day after Election Day. Ballots from members of the armed forces must be received by the 6th day after Election Day. Members of the military and other overseas voters can track the status of their ballot online.
Bexar County voters who are interested in voting by mail must submit this application to the Bexar County Elections Department no later than 11 days before Election Day (April 26). If you have questions, call 210-335-0362.
Senate Bill 1 which was signed into law last year by Gov. Greg Abbott makes several changes to the election process in Texas, including some rules for voters hoping to cast their ballot by mail for the 2022 Texas midterms.
Ad
You can read about the changes to the application process here.
Click here to find out where to submit your application for ballot by mail in other Texas counties.
Where do I vote?
Depending on which county you live in, you may be able to vote at any polling place in your county or you may have to vote in your specific precinct. Atascosa, Bexar, Comal, DeWitt, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall and Medina County are approved to use the Countywide Polling Place Program which allows users to vote anywhere in their county during early voting and on election day.
Ad
If you do not live in one of those counties or prefer to vote in your precinct, you can check your poll location through your county or through the Secretary of State’s website.
Click here to view Bexar County’s voter precincts.
What do I need to bring to the polls?
You will be required to show identification to vote in Texas. Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:
-
Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (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)
Your ID may be expired no more than four years unless you’re 70-years-old, and then the acceptable form of ID can be expired for any length of time.
If a voter has one of the acceptable forms of IDs but forgets to bring it to the polling place, the voter can vote provisionally. That voter will then have six days to present a photo ID to the county voter registrar or fill out a natural disaster affidavit, or the vote will not count.
Ad
If you do not have one of the acceptable forms of ID and cannot reasonably obtain one, you can fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at your place of voting and must show one of the following supporting forms of ID:
-
copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the 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; or
-
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).
Voters with a disability may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to the photo ID requirement.
How do I vote?
Texas uses three methods to vote: (The following information comes directly from the Secretary of State’s office.)
-
Paper ballots are still used as the primary way of voting in a number of Texas counties. Voters mark their ballot by hand with an indelible marker (a marker that cannot be erased) or pen and place their finished ballot in a ballot box. Local election officials then count the votes by hand.
-
Optical scan voting systems enable voters to mark their choices on preprinted ballots by either connecting “arrows” or filling in “bubbles” next to the candidates’ names. The paper ballot is then inserted into an electronic ballot counter, which then counts the marked “bubbles” or “arrows” on each ballot and automatically computes the totals for each candidate and/or issue.
-
DREs (Direct Record Electronic systems) enable voters to record their choices electronically directly into the machine. There are several types of DREs (some have a dial while others use a touch screen), but essentially they all enable voters to move back and forth between screens (ballot pages) to select the candidates and/or issues for whom they wish to vote. Once a voter has made his or her choices, the DRE provides a summary screen that presents those choices and gives the voter the ability to go back and make any changes before pressing the “Vote” or “Cast Ballot” button. One of the benefits of a DRE system is that it prevents “over-voting”; that is, it stops the voter from selecting two candidates or options in a race where only one is allowed. As well, a DRE gives the voter an opportunity to correct “under-voting,” or failing to select any candidate or option in a race.
Each voting location must offer at least one accessible voting system that enables the blind, elderly, physically disabled, and non-reading Texans to vote independently and in private.
Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to see which system your county uses and get step-by-step voting instructions.
Ad
Where can I find election results?
KSAT will have election results on KSAT.com and on our website.
You can also get election results from these websites:
Read more on KSAT’s Vote 2022 page.
Copyright 2022 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
