Today is National Voter Registration Day, and College Houses is participating in Co-ops Vote, a project of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to encourage all co-opers to vote. Co-ops are all about democratic living, so we hope to see every eligible Austin co-oper participating this November!
In our home state of Texas, you can vote only if you register at least 30 days before an election. Not sure if you’re registered? Here are a few resources to check your registration status, and get started on your registration.
Vote411.org is a one-stop shop for election information, including how to register. Plus, the site is a project of the League of Women Voters which produces excellent non-partisan voting guides. Sign up for their email list to stay informed in the lead-up to Election Day.
VoteTexas.gov is the State of Texas’ official voting website, for those that prefer to go straight to the source. Their page for voter registration can be found here.
These links will give you all the steps you need to register, however, you cannot complete your registration to vote online in Texas. Instead, you can fill out an “informal” application online, which you can then print out and mail to the Voter Registrar’s office. For Austin co-opers here in Travis county, the address to mail it to is:
Tax Assessor-Collector
Bruce Elfant
P.O. Box 1748
Austin, TX 78767
Alternatively, you can find a deputy registrar and have them submit your application. These are volunteers who can help you fill out the application, and will deliver it to the registrar’s office so you don’t have to. Every year, we usually have several members who become deputized to register voters, and there are usually many deputies available on UT campus this time of year. If you’re in our neighborhood, check around the UT Tower and you’re sure to find a deputy (or several) to help you.