Voting

Voting During the COVID-19 Pandemic

FAQs

Voting in Texas During the Pandemic: Everything You Need to Know About the 2020 General Election (Texas Tribune)
This page from the Texas Tribune has collected handy information relating to the November election including important dates and FAQs.
Voting & the Coronavirus (Texas League of Women Voters)
This page provides information related to voting during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Election Advisories

2020 Election Advisories and Memos
These advisories and memos from the Texas Secretary of State's Office providee guidance to election officials in how to facilitate voting in 2020. The advisories include guidance for how election administrators should facilitate voting for individuals who may be affected by COVID-19 and also in conducting elections during the outbreak.

Ongoing Court Cases

There have been several challenges to voting laws and procedures in the months leading up to the November 2020 election.

2020 Election Litigation Tracker
This project from SCOTUSblog and Election Law at Ohio State tracks ongoing election law cases during the 2020 election season. Several COVID-19-related cases are covered here.

Early Voting

Governor Abbott Extends Early Voting Period For November 3rd Election (7/27/2020)
This press release states that early voting for the November election "will begin on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, and continue through Friday, October 30, 2020. The proclamation also expands the period in which marked mail-in ballots may be delivered in person to the early voting clerk’s office, allowing such delivery prior to as well as on Election Day."

Vote by Mail & Curbside Voting

Vote by Mail

Section 104.004 of the Texas Election Code
This statute states that a voter may request curbside voting if "the voter is physically unable to enter the early voting polling place without personal assistance or a likelihood of injuring the voter's health".
Here's How to Vote by Mail in Texas (8/21/2020)
This news article discusses deadlines and procedures for voting by mail in the November 2020 elections.

Curbside Voting

Texas Election Code, Chapter 82
This chapter sets out who may vote early including who may vote by mail. This includes: voters who will be absent from their county of residence on election day, voters with sicknesses or disabilities that prevent them from appearing at the polling place, voters 65 years of age or older, voters confined in jail, and voters participating in the address confidentiality program.

Masks at the Polls

Governor Abbott's Executive Order requiring face coverings in many public places [PDF] specifically does not require individuals to wear a face covering while voting, working as a poll watcher, assisting a voter, or administering an election. There is an ongoing lawsuit challenging this. If the lawsuit succeeds before election day (Nov. 3rd), Texans may need to wear a face covering while at a polling place. Below is information about the ongoing lawsuit. Please check news outlets for up-to-date information as election day approaches.

Texas Voters Won't be Required to Wear Masks While Voting After Appeals Court Temporarily Lets Abbott Order Stand (10/28/20)
This news article describes how an appellate court has temporarily stopped a previous ruling by a district court that would have required Texans to wear face coverings at the polls.

Texas State
Law Library

COVID-19 & Texas Law