From the inbox:
Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart announced today that 46 locations will be open Monday, October 24 to Friday, November 4 where voters in the third largest County in the nation may cast ballots during the early voting period for the November 8, 2016 Election. The total is approximately 25 percent more than the number of early voting locations available in the County during the previous presidential election.
“Since the 2012 Election, nine additional early voting locations have been added. Additionally, the time to vote during the first week of early voting has been extended to 6:00 pm,” said Stanart, the chief election official of the County.
“I expect approximately 800,000 voters will choose to vote during the early voting period for this election. Preparedness on the part of the County Clerk’s Election Division, as well as voters, is key to a successful election,” added Stanart.
To ensure the voting process is a pleasant experience, the chief election officer of the County has a few suggestions for voters heading to the polls:
1. Voters should confirm voter registration status. A voter registration search can be performed athttp://www.hctax.net/voter/search;
2. Voters should study a sample ballot, mark it, and take it to the poll. Voters can download a voter-specific ballot at www.HarrisVotes.com;
3. Voters should identify the nearest or most convenient early voting location. Voters can vote at any one of the 46 early voting locations;
4. Voters should find out what photo identification is acceptable to vote at the poll, what other identification options are now available to vote a regular ballot, and what identification expedites the qualification process. The voter identification guidelines are available at www.HarrisVotes.com;
5. Voters should NOT wear clothing or paraphernalia that promotes a party, a candidate or a proposition to the poll;
6. Voters should be aware that the use of electronic devices is prohibited inside the poll. The right to cast a secret ballot must be respected;
7. Voters should not wait until the last minute to vote early. During peak voting hours, the wait time could be longer than we wish.
“Don’t procrastinate. Do your homework. Then, go vote early,” summed up Stanart. “For voters in Harris County, voting early is the simplest and easiest method of voting. ”
To obtain the early voting schedule, a list of acceptable credentials to vote at the polling location and other election information, voters may visit the Harris County Clerk’s website at www.HarrisVotes.com or call 713.755.6965.
Early Voting Days and Hours
October 24 – October 28: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
October 29: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
October 30: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
October 31 – November 4: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
November 8, 2016 Early Voting Locations, Harris County, Texas Location Address City Zip Harris County Administration Building 1001 Preston Street Houston 77002 Champion Forest Baptist Church 4840 Strack Road Houston 77069 Prairie View A&M University Northwest 9449 Grant Road Houston 77070 Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library 22248 Aldine Westfield Road Humble 77338 Kingwood Branch Library 4400 Bens View Lane Kingwood 77345 Lone Star College Atascocita Center 15903 West Lake Houston Parkway Houston 77044 Crosby Branch Library 135 Hare Road Crosby 77532 Kyle Chapman Activity Center 7340 Spencer Highway Pasadena 77505 Freeman Branch Library 16616 Diana Lane Houston 77062 Harris County Scarsdale Annex* 10851 Scarsdale Boulevard Houston 77089 Juergen’s Hall Community Center 26026 Hempstead Highway Cypress 77429 Tomball Public Works Building 501B James Street Tomball 77375 Hiram Clarke Multi Service Center 3810 West Fuqua Street Houston 77045 Katy Branch Library* 5414 Franz Rd Katy 77493 Lone Star College Cypress Center 19710 Clay Road Katy 77449 Harris County MUD 81 805 Hidden Canyon Road Katy 77450 Nottingham Park 926 Country Place Drive Houston 77079 Harris County Public Health Environmental Services 2223 West Loop South Freeway Houston 77027 Metropolitan Multi Service Center 1475 West Gray Street Houston 77019 City of Jersey Village City Hall 16327 Lakeview Drive Jersey Village 77040 Richard & Meg Weekley Community Center 8440 Greenhouse Road Cypress 77433 Bayland Park Community Center 6400 Bissonnet Street Houston 77074 Tracy Gee Community Center 3599 Westcenter Drive Houston 77042 Bear Creek Park Community Center 3055 Bear Creek Drive Houston 77084 Trini Mendenhall Community Center 1414 Wirt Road Houston 77055 Acres Homes Multi Service Center 6719 West Montgomery Road Houston 77091 Fallbrook Church 12512 Walters Road Houston 77014 Lone Star College Victory Center 4141 Victory Drive Houston 77088 Hardy Senior Center 11901 West Hardy Road Houston 77076 Northeast Multi Service Center 9720 Spaulding Street, Building 4 Houston 77016 Octavia Fields Branch Library 1503 South Houston Avenue Humble 77338 Kashmere Multi Service Center 4802 Lockwood Drive Houston 77026 North Channel Branch Library 15741 Wallisville Road Houston 77049 Alvin D. Baggett Community Center 1302 Keene Street Galena Park 77547 Ripley House Neighborhood Center 4410 Navigation Boulevard Houston 77011 Baytown Community Center 2407 Market Street Baytown 77520 John Phelps Courthouse 101 North Richey Street Pasadena 77506 HCCS Southeast College 6960 Rustic Street, Parking Garage Houston 77087 Fiesta Mart 8130 Kirby Drive Houston 77054 Sunnyside Multi-Purpose Center 9314 Cullen Boulevard Houston 77033 Palm Center 5300 Griggs Road Houston 77021 Moody Park Community Center 3725 Fulton Street Houston 77009 SPJST Lodge 88 1435 Beall Street Houston 77008 Alief ISD Administration Building 4250 Cook Road Houston 77072 Champion Life Centre 3031 FM 2920 Road Spring 77388 Lone Star College – Creekside Center 8747 West New Harmony Trail Tomball 77375 * Indicates New Location
That of course is for Harris County. Early voting information for some other counties of interest:
Fort Bend
Brazoria
Galveston
Montgomery
Check your local county clerk or election administrator if you are elsewhere.
Battleground Texas reminds you what form of ID is acceptable:
The state of Texas has made it easier for more Texans to vote in this election by expanding the types of identification that a voter can present at the polls!
If you don’t have a photo ID (reminder of the accepted forms of photo ID here), you’ll just need to fill out a short form stating the reason why you haven’t been able to get one and swearing that you are who you say you are.
Then you can present any government document that lists your name and address. A copy of the document will do, unless it has a photo, in which case be sure to bring the original. Poll workers cannot question or challenge you regarding your lack of a photo ID.
If you don’t have a photo ID, bring one of these documents to the polls:
- Voter registration certificate (the card mailed to you shortly after you register to vote)
- Certified birth certificate (original)
- Current utility bill (copy or original)
- Bank statement (copy or original)
- Government check (copy or original)
- Paycheck (copy or original)
Election poll workers are prohibited by law from challenging your reason for being unable to obtain a photo ID. If you experience any issues at the polls, call our Voter Protection Hotline at 1-844-TXVOTES, and we can help.
Voters with a disability may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to showing ID at the polls.
And here’s a guide as to what poll watchers may and may not do.
Poll watchers may look on as voters cast ballots or as officials count them. They can also observe inspection of voting machines. But they can’t talk to voters or election officials unless they are reporting an irregularity to an election officer. They also can’t make audio or video recordings or take photos inside a polling place.
The Texas Election Code includes several other rules governing poll watchers:
- They must be eligible to vote in the county where they they are serving (or in elections limited to a smaller jurisdictions, they must be eligible to vote in those communities).
- They must present a “certificate of appointment” to the election judge at a polling station and the certificate must come from the political party, candidate or ballot measure group that appointed them (Groups of registered voters may also appoint poll watchers on behalf of certain write-in candidates.).
- They may not access a voting station while someone is casting a ballot.
- State law also prohibits poll watchers — or any voter, for that matter— from wearing a badge, insignia or emblem related to a candidate, measure or party on the ballot within 100 feet of a polling place’s door.
Here are two other relevant rules:
- Parties, candidates and campaigns may not appoint more than two watchers at each precinct polling spot, early voting ballot board meeting or central counting station. They may appoint as many as seven watchers to each early voting polling location, but no more than two may serve at the same time.
- Candidates on the ballot may not serve as poll watchers during their own elections. State law also bars from the following from serving: current public office holders, close relatives of election judges at the polling place and people convicted of election-related offenses.
Bottom Line: Poll watching is a common practice in Texas elections, but those who do it must follow plenty of rules.
Here’s a Chron story about poll watchers and the Trump-inspired hysteria that has boosted their numbers. Make no mistake, some number of them will be up to no good and should be closely watched themselves. On the plus side, there will be no Russian poll watchers, which is a sentence I never thought I’d type. If you see poll watchers engaging in activities they shouldn’t be, I strongly urge you to call your elections administrator and county party. I haven’t seen an announcement that the HCDP has set up a hotline for such complaints, but their main number is 713-802-0085 if you need it. Now go forth and vote. I expect it will be a busy early voting period.
Any news on how Stanart is preventing the “rampant” voter fraud that Governor Abbott keeps talking about? It is a shame that the inept statewide Republican elections officials are still unable to stop this rampantness after more than a quarter century in office.
Not to mention that the “rigging” is happening too already. Maybe Stanart is having difficulty stopping the “rigging” since Trump won’t go into specifics.
For anyone in the Heights, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks the new early voting site at SJPST Lodge at 1435 Beall St. (“the Czech Lodge” with a well known bingo game on Thursday nights) behind the Timbergrove softball field is a convenient option this cycle.
@Mainstream… So no longer can I [77008] early vote at the West Grey Service Center ?
C.L. – You can vote at any early voting location, as always. The SJPST Lodge is just a new location in the Heights area that may be more convenient. But all EV locations are available to you.
Just arrived at Bayland Park…2-3 hour estimated wait.
2.5 hours (2pm-4:30pm) and the line was longer at 4:30 than at 2:00 at Bayland Park. All voters seemed to be taking it in stride.