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Civic Leaders Toolkit · 2026 Midterm Election · November 3
Built for social workers, case managers, and the professionals people turn to when something matters. Everything here helps you get a client registered and to the polls — without ever telling them who to vote for.
Start here
Our role is not to tell clients who to vote for. It’s to make sure they know they can vote — and how.
“That’s your decision. What I can do is help you find information about all the candidates so you can decide for yourself.”
Use it whenever a client asks who they should vote for. Then move to Step 3 and show them where to look.
Why this belongs in your work
Roughly 40% of eligible Americans skip midterm elections — and the people least likely to vote are often the people most affected by what’s on the ballot.
Three things that trip people up
01
Texas requires a paper application with a wet ink signature. If a client says they’ll take care of it online tonight — they can’t, and they will miss the deadline.
Where to get the form Download and print from VoteTexas.gov, or pick one up at the county registrar, most public libraries, and many post offices.02
During early voting, any registered voter may use any early voting location in their county — true in all 254. On Election Day it splits: Vote Center counties allow any location, everywhere else assigns a precinct.
When in doubt, steer toward early voting Twelve days, any location, no precinct guesswork.03
Texas accepts seven forms of photo ID. A client without one is not turned away: they can complete a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls with a supporting document, or get a free Election Identification Certificate at any DPS office beforehand.
ID may be expired Up to 4 years for voters 18–69. No expiration limit at all for voters 70 and older.2026 Midterm · statewide
Every other date depends on a client being registered. If you have one voting conversation between now and the fall, make it that one.
The paper application must be received by the county voter registrar. No exceptions, no grace period.
Twelve days. Any early voting location in the client’s county. The best option for most people.
Must be received by the county Early Voting Clerk — not postmarked.
The Friday before Election Day.
Polls open 7 AM to 7 PM statewide. In line by 7 PM means they get to vote, however long it takes.
Early voting dates are statewide. Early voting hours are not. Counties set their own daily hours and many extend them in the second week. Confirm on the county’s site or by phone — never quote hours from memory.
How to Plan Your Vote
Each step gives you what your client needs to know, something you can say out loud, and where to send them next.
1
“Before we do anything else — are you registered to vote at your current address?”
“If you’ve moved or changed your name since you last voted, we need to update that. In Texas that means a new paper form.”
Where to send them VoteTexas.gov — the statewide lookup works for any Texas address. Do it together in session; “I’ll check later” usually doesn’t happen.
2
“Let me check your county’s rules for Election Day. Some Texas counties let you vote anywhere in the county; others assign you to a specific precinct. I want to make sure we send you to the right place.”
“If you’re 65 or older, or a disability or illness makes getting to the polls hard, you may be able to vote from home. Let’s look into that together.”
Where to send them The county election office for locations and hours — look it up in the county directory below.
3
“You can bring written notes into the booth — you just can’t bring your phone. So let’s get your choices on paper before you go.”
“The ballot is longer than people expect. The races at the bottom are usually the ones that affect you most directly.”
Where to send them Vote411.org · HoustonVotersGuide.org · the Ballot Readiness Worksheet in the downloads below
4
“Let’s look up your county’s locations and hours together — they’re different everywhere in Texas, and I don’t want you showing up to a closed door.”
“Let’s put it on your calendar now — a specific day and a specific location. A plan with a date attached actually happens.”
5
“You can take as long as you need in the booth. Nobody’s timing you.”
“You don’t have to vote in every race. Skip anything you didn’t research — the rest of your ballot still counts.”
“If you mess up, tell a poll worker. You can get a fresh ballot — up to two.”
6
Voter intimidation is illegal in Texas. Voters are protected from arrest while going to, attending, or returning from the polls, except in cases of felony, treason, or breach of the peace. If a client encounters interference they should not leave — report it immediately and document it if they can do so safely.
“If anything goes wrong at the polls, don’t walk away. Call one of these numbers right there in line.”
Problems at the polls — national hotlines 1-866-OUR-VOTE · 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA(Español) · 1-888-API-VOTE · 1-301-818-VOTE(ASL video)
Leading civic conversations
You don’t need to win an argument. You need an accurate answer ready so the conversation keeps going.
“Your vote is your voice. And in local elections, small margins decide outcomes that affect your benefits, your housing, and your healthcare directly.”
“You can still vote in Texas. There’s a process called a Reasonable Impediment Declaration — you bring a supporting document and fill out a form at the polls. And if you want a free ID, we can work on getting you one.”
“That’s what Vote411 is for. You type in your address, you see your actual ballot, and the candidates answer the same questions so you can compare. You don’t have to know them going in.”
“In Texas, if you’ve completed your sentence — including any parole or probation — your right to vote is restored. You don’t need to apply for anything. You just need to register.”
“Early voting runs twelve days, and during early voting you can go to any location in your county. Let’s find a fifteen-minute window that already exists in your week.”
“Then we need to re-register you at the new address, and in Texas that’s a paper form. If you moved counties, it’s a fresh registration in the new one. Let’s take care of it today so it’s not a problem in October.”
“That’s fair, and you don’t have to engage with any of it. You can research your ballot quietly, mark your choices at home, and be in and out in fifteen minutes.”
“No. Your ballot is secret. The fact that you voted is public record; your choices are not.”
Look it up before you send anyone anywhere
In most Texas counties one office handles both elections and voter registration. In the rest — including Harris and Travis — Volunteer Deputy Registrar training lives with a different office than the county’s voting website. Calling the wrong one is the most common way people lose a week.
Search by county, registrar, or city. Every entry has a direct phone number, the mailing address, the elections website, and a plain answer to “which office do I actually call?”
Open the county directoryTake it with you
Everything below is free to download, print, copy, and hand to clients. No attribution required, no permission needed.
Print these once and keep them where you take calls. The boundaries card doubles as documentation a supervisor can review.
What you can and can’t do, plus the scripted answer to “who should I vote for?”
Download →The seven accepted IDs, what counts as a supporting document, how the RID works, and where to get a free EIC.
Download →Who qualifies, where the application goes, and the October 23 received-not-postmarked deadline.
Download →Sized to read at a glance on a screen. Save them to your photos now — not the day you need them.
Curbside voting, assistance of your choice, provisional ballots, interpreters — and all four Election Protection numbers.
Download →Oct 5, Oct 19, Oct 23, Oct 30, Nov 3 — on one screen.
Download →All five 2026 deadlines as calendar events. Opens in Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, or Outlook.
Download →Written for the voter, not the practitioner. Print a stack and keep them in the room.
The full six-step walkthrough in a brochure a client can take home.
Download →Every step condensed to a single sheet with boxes to tick.
Download →Where they write choices down race by race — the sheet they carry into a booth where phones aren’t allowed.
Download →Scannable codes for a flyer, a slide, or a printout by the door.
The next step
A Volunteer Deputy Registrar is trained and appointed by a county voter registrar to register voters in that county. As a VDR you can accept completed applications directly from clients — in your office, at an event, or in the field — and submit them on their behalf.
Qualifications: at least 18, a Texas resident, not finally convicted of a felony unless fully discharged or pardoned, and not finally convicted of failing to deliver a registration application.
Need something
Bringing this training to your team, need a resource in another format, or want a bulk print run for an office or conference — get in touch.
The League of Women Voters of Houston does not support or oppose any candidate or political party. The integrity of our voter education work depends on providing unbiased election information to every voter, and our commitment to nonpartisanship drives every decision we make as an organization.
Deadlines, ID rules, and voter rights on this page apply statewide. Polling locations and daily hours are set county by county — always confirm with the county election office. Information current as of publication for the November 3, 2026 general election.
