By FPL_Staff
Are you wanting to vote this year and aren’t sure how? New to Frisco and aren’t sure where to vote? Not a problem! In our second installment of How to Vote in Frisco 2020, we will cover when you can vote, how to find your polling location, and voter identification requirements in the state of Texas.
When can I vote?
Governor Abbott has extended early voting this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Early voting this year will start on Tuesday, October 13 and end on Friday, October 30. Election Day this year is Tuesday, November 3.
Where’s my polling location?
In the State of Texas, counties control many of the rules and regulations of elections, including where you will vote. Frisco is in both Collin County and Denton County. Collin County and Denton County have different rules on where you will vote. This means where you can vote will vary depending on where you live in the City of Frisco but don't worry, we cover that below.
Collin County
The Collin County voter registrar states that it uses “Vote Centers”, meaning that Collin County residents registered to vote in Collin County can vote at any polling location in the county. The links below provide a list of polling centers in the county:
Early Voting Locations:
https://www.collincountytx.gov/elections/election_information/Pages/early_voting.aspx
Election Day Voting Locations:
https://www.collincountytx.gov/elections/election_information/Pages/election_day.aspx
NOTE: There is a difference between the number of polling locations during the early period and the number of polling locations available on election day. Make sure that you use the correct link to determine where you can find a polling location.
Denton County
Denton County is a little bit different than Collin County when it comes to voting. The Denton County Election Administration states that during the early voting period, voters registered in Denton County can vote at any polling location within the county. The difference is on election day itself. On election day, you must vote at your assigned polling location. The links below provide more information. The first link provides a list of early voting locations. The second link allows you to look yourself up in the voter database and will give you your assigned polling location for election day. The third link provides all election day voting locations in the county and the precincts that are assigned to them.
Early Voting Locations:
https://www.votedenton.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1120_EV_Locations_v4.pdf
Election Day Voting Location Lookup:
https://www.votedenton.com/voter-lookup/#VoterEligibilitySearch
All Denton County Election Day Voting Locations:
https://www.votedenton.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1120_Unconsolidated_ED_Locations_v3.pdf
NOTE: There is a difference between the number of polling locations during the early period and the number of polling locations available on election day. Make sure that you use the correct link to determine where you can find a polling location.
What forms of identification will I need to vote?
Texas state law requires that voters show a form of identification when they go to vote. The Texas Secretary of State lists seven forms of identification as acceptable to present to polling staff to vote. Those seven forms of identification are:
- 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)
Expired documents may be used but the regulations vary based on age. If you are aged 18-69, you may use a document that is expired by no more than four years. If you are 70 years or older, you may use any expired document that is otherwise valid. If you are unable to provide one of these documents or want greater clarification, visit https://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id.html to learn more.
Important Links
For more information, check out these links:
Texas Secretary of State
https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml
Vote Texas
Collin County Voter Registrar
https://www.collincountytx.gov/elections/Pages/default.aspx
Denton County Voter Registrar
