Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Register to Vote in Texas Primary Elections by Feb. 4

The Texas Democratic and Republican Primary elections are March 4, 2008. To vote you must be registered at least 30 days before that date or by February 4. (As mentioned in Monday's blog, a list indicating primary election dates for each state is available from the United States Election Assistance Commission.)

On the Rice campus, the Rice Vote Coalition has voter registration tables set up in the RMC during lunch this Thursday and Friday (January 31- February 1, 2008). You may also pick up a mail-in form in Fondren Library's Kelley Center for Government Information and Microforms (Fondren basement) or go to the Harris County Tax Office Voter Registration Web site and download an application form. Remember, however, that the application must be postmarked by February 4. Another choice for those in Harris County is to register in person at the following locations:
  • Any of the 16 area Tax Offices
  • Texas Health and Human Services Commission
  • Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
  • Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
  • Texas Department of State Health Services
  • Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
  • Each public library
  • Each marriage license office of the county clerk


For absentee voting, click on the state or territory of your legal voting residence from the table made available by the Federal Voting Assistance Program . You can download a document with deadlines, forms, and instructions. Texans may also check the Secretary of State's Early Voting page for mail and in-person deadlines.