Frequently Asked Questions

 

The following are commonly asked questions pertaining to the voter registration and elections process. However, if you didn’t find the answer to your question below, please email the elections department at election@collincountytx.gov.

Voter Registration

Am I registered?
Check to see if you are registered using the Collin County Voter Registration Search. You can also search for your registration using the Texas State Voter Database.

How can I update my address?
If you have moved within Collin County you have two options:

1. Update online using the Secretary of State’s Online Address Change website
    
   OR
    
2. Fill out a new registration form and mail that in or drop it by our office at 2010 Redbud Blvd, Ste 102, McKinney TX 75069

If you have moved to or from another county: You must fill out a new registration form. 

How can I change my name?
Name changes can be made the same way you update your address, with the Secretary of State’s Online Address Change or by submitting a new registration form.

When is the deadline to register or change my registration?
The deadline for registering or updating your information is 30 days before Election Day, in order for it to be effective for that election.

Can I register my family members?
If you are registered to vote in Collin County or have submitted an application to Collin County, you can be appointed as an agent for your parent, child or spouse who is eligible to be a registered voter in Collin County. You can then submit an application on that person’s behalf. You must have his or her permission, and you must sign your name and your relationship to the applicant on the form in order for it to be accepted.

Can I register my friends?
You can register non family members in Collin County only if you come in to the office to be deputized as a Volunteer Deputy Registrar. For more information, please see our Become a Volunteer Deputy Registrar page.

Do I have to register for each election?
No, once you are registered you do not need to reregister unless you move to another county, but please remember to update your information with us whenever you move.

Can I get a replacement certificate?
Yes; you can call our office at 972-547-1900, compelte an application for replacement or email our office at voterregistration@collincountytx.gov  to request a replacement certificate. 

I never received my certificate. What should I do?
Contact our office via phone (972-547-1990), mail (2010 Redbud Blvd, Ste102, McKinney, TX 75069), or email voterregistration@collincountytx.gov, and we will regenerate your certificate.

My certificate has expired; do I need to reregister?
No, you will automatically be sent a renewal certificate at the end of each odd numbered year. However, if you have moved, you do need to update your address with us.

Can I get a list of registered voters?
Yes; for details, visit our webpage on Requesting Voter Lists.

Voting

On Election Day, can I vote at any polling place I choose?    
Yes. Collin County utilizes Vote Centers.  All registered voters in Collin County can go to any of our designated Vote Centers during early voting and on Election Day to cast their ballot.

Where is my polling place?
Visit our Election Information page to view the list of Early Voting Election Day polling locations, with links to an interactive map of each location. 

During Early Voting, can I vote at any Early Voting location?
Yes; if it is an election we are conducting, you can vote at any of our locations. If a jurisdiction is conducting its own election, contact the jurisdiction to find locations & times of voting.

When and where are the Early Voting locations?
Visit the Election Information webpage to view the list of Early Voting Locations with links to an interactive map of each location. Note: During May elections, you may need to go to more than one location to vote, if the jurisdictions are not contracting with Collin County. If you do not see both your city and ISD on the list, contact the jurisdiction for details.

Why isn’t my normal voting location open this time?
Polling locations are chosen by the entity holding the election (city, ISD, or county) and therefore are not always the same. Other circumstances such as building or road construction, and scheduling conflicts on privately owned locations can also affect whether or not a location is used. Please check our website each election for locations.           

Are the same locations used for every election?
Polling locations are chosen by the entity holding the election (city, ISD, or county) and therefore are not always the same. Please check our website each election for locations.

The ‘Valid From’ date on my voter certificate is not until Election Day; can I vote during Early Voting?
Yes, as long you are eligible for the election (the ‘Valid From’ date must be Election Day or earlier) you can vote during Early Voting. 

I am registered in another county in Texas, can I vote in Collin County?
You must be registered in the county you claim as your permanent residence. If it is past the registration deadline for an election, and you have moved into Collin County and are still registered to vote in your prior Texas County, you may be able to vote a limited ballot containing only jurisdictions common to both your old and new address. Please call our office for details. (972) 547-1900

Do I need a photo ID in order to vote?  

A voter must show one of the following forms of acceptable photo identification at the polling location before the voter may be accepted for voting, unless the voter does not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of these forms of acceptable photo identification or the voter qualifies for one of the other exemptions identified below: 

• Texas Driver License issued by the 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; or 
• United States Passport (book or card).

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or, for voters aged 18-69, have expired no more than 4 years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place. A person 70 years of age or older may use a form of identification listed above that has expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise valid.

If a voter does not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo identification listed above, and the voter cannot reasonably obtain such identification, the voter may execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present a copy or original of one of the following supporting documents: 

• copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s 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).

The address on an acceptable photo identification or a supporting document, if applicable, does not have to match the voter’s address on the list of registered voters.  

Exemptions: Voters with a disability may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to presenting acceptable photo identification or following the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure at the polls. Voters with a religious objection to being photographed or voters who do not present an acceptable form of photo identification or follow the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure at the polls because of certain natural disasters may apply for a temporary exemption to presenting acceptable photo identification or following the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure at the polls. Please contact your voter registrar for more details.

Provisional Voting: If (a) a voter does not possess one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of photo identification (which, for voters aged 18-69, is not expired for more than four years, or, for voters aged 70 and older, may be expired for any length of time but is otherwise valid) and the voter can reasonably obtain one of these forms of identification or (b) if a voter possesses, but did not bring to the polling place, one of the seven forms of acceptable photo identification (which, for voters aged 18-69, is not expired for more than four years, or, for voters aged 70 and older, may be expired for any length of time but is otherwise valid) or (c) if the voter does not possess one of the seven forms of acceptable photo identification (which, for voters aged 18-69, is not expired for more than four years, or, for voters aged 70 and older, may be expired for any length of time but is otherwise valid), could not otherwise reasonably obtain one, but did not bring a supporting form of identification to the polling place; and the voter did not present a voter registration certificate with a permanent disability exemption indicated on their voter registration certificate, the voter may cast a provisional ballot at the polls. The voter will have six (6) calendar days after election day to (1) present an acceptable form of photo identification to the county voter registrar, or, (2) if the voter does not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of the acceptable forms of photo identification, present one of the supporting forms of ID to the county voter registrar and execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration, or, (3) if applicable, qualify for one of the exemptions referenced above.

Do I need my voting certificate to vote at the polling place or at Early Voting?
It is helpful to the process and can be used as a supporting form of ID.

I voted a provisional ballot. How do I find out if my ballot will count?
You will receive a letter indicating whether or not your provisional ballot was counted, and if not, why.

Can I vote by mail?

If you are voting by mail because you are disabled or are 65 years of age or older, you may use a single application to request ballots by mail for all county elections in the calendar year. While you can submit this “annual” application anytime during the calendar year, it must be received at least 11 days before the first election in which you seek to request a ballot by mail.

How do I apply to vote by mail?
You must fill out the Application for Ballot by Mail and return it to our office between 60 days and 11 days before Election Day.

If I am in the military, or overseas, what options do I have?
Military and overseas citizens can register to vote and request paper or email ballots using the Federal Post Card Application; visit the Military and Overseas Voters page on the votetexas.gov website for details.

When will the ballots be mailed?
The first ballots are mailed 45 days before Election Day; after that, ballots are mailed out daily as applications are received and processed.

When does my voted ballot have to be received?

Ballots received in our office on or before 7PM Election Day will be counted.  Those received the next business day before 5PM may be counted if postmarked by 7PM Election Day.

For Overseas Ballots, please see www.votetexas.gov/military-overseas-voters/index.html.

Can I hand deliver my mail ballot?

For the November 3, 2020 general election, the hand-delivery period has been extended.  You may deliver your own personal ballot, and not the ballot for another individual to the Elections Department during regular business hours any time after you receive and mark it.

You will be asked to sign a roster to record acceptance of your ballot and you will be asked to present an acceptable form of photo ID.  If you do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain an acceptable form of photo ID, you can execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and provide a supporting form of identification.  

You may hand deliver it to the Main Early Voting location at 2010 Redbud Blvd., Ste. 102, McKinney, TX 75069.

I did not receive my mail ballot. Can I get a replacement?
Yes; call our office for details. (972) 547-1990

What if I request a mail ballot, but I end up being in the county during Early Voting or on Election Day?
You must either surrender your absentee ballot to the Early Voting worker, or vote using a provisional ballot in order to vote in person.

Results

When will we know the results of the election?
Initial results will be available on the Election Results webpage shortly after 7pm on Election Night, and will be updated periodically as tabulation continues. Final official results will not be available until the certification of the election. If you would like to receive notices about when the results are updated, either Like Collin County on Facebook or Follow Collin County on Twitter.

Can I get lists of people who have voted?
Yes. The Early Voting and Election Day Rosters are posted no later than 10:00 a.m. daily during early voting to reflect the previous day’s information.  The rosters will remain on our web page for up to three weeks following an election.