 |
Orange
County |
|
Elections
Administration |
Frequently
Asked Questions
How do I register to vote?
Who is eligible to register in Orange County?
Where can I get a voter registration
application?
Is there a waiting period?
What do I do if I have changed my address,
but still live in Orange County?
Q. How do I register to vote?
- You must be at least 17 years and ten
months of age on the date your application is submitted.
- Your application must be submitted 30
days before an election for you to be eligible to vote in that election.
- Your spouse, parent, or child (acting
as an agent) may complete and sign a voter registration application for you. The
agent must be a qualified voter of the county or has submitted a voter registration
application in their name.
- Complete a voter registration
application and mail it or take it in person to the voter registration office in Orange
County. You may request a voter registration
application by using our online form.
Q. Who is eligible to register in Orange
County?
The state law requires that you
must:
- Be a United States citizen;
- Be a resident of Orange County;
- Be 18 years old (you may register at
17 years and 10 months of age);
- Not be a convicted felon (unless your
sentence is completed,including any probation or parole);
- Not be declared mentally incompetent
by a final judgement of a court.
Q. Where can I get a voter
registration application?
Voter registration applications are
available at our Orange office. They are also
available at the libraries, post offices, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas
Department of Human Services.
You may obtain an application by
Q. Is there a waiting period?
You may register to vote at any
time. Your application must be submitted 30-days before an election for you to be
eligible to vote in that election.
Q. What do
I do if I have changed my address, but still live in Orange County?
Promptly notify the Orange County
Voter Registrar in writing of your new address by:
- Correcting the information on your
current voter registration certificate and returning it to the voter registrar; or
- Completing a voter registration
application (contact the Orange County Voter Registrar or the Secretary of State's office
for a form.)
- Your spouse, parent of child (acting
as an agent) may complete and sign a voter registration form for you, provided that this
person is a registered voter, or has applied for registration.
- You will receive a new, corrected
certificate.
- You will be able to vote in your new
precinct 30 days after your notice has been received.
- Meanwhile: you may vote a full
ballot in your former precinct if your registration has not become effective in your new
precinct.
Q. What do I do if I moved to another
county?
- You must re-register. Complete
an application and mail it or take it in person to the voter registrar of your new county.
- You will be registered 30 days after
your application is submitted.
- You will receive a new certificate.
- You may be eligible to vote a limited
ballot in your new county of residence for 90 days after moving if:
1. You were qualified to vote in your former county at the time you moved;
2. There is an election in the 90 days after you moved; and
3. Your registration in the new county is not yet effective.
- If you vote a limited ballot, you may
vote on all statewide offices and propositions and for all district offices, which are
common to your new and former counties of residence.
- You must apply for a limited ballot
and vote by personal appearance with the early voting clerk conducting the election in
your new county during the early voting period which generally begins on the 17th day and
ends on the 4th day before an election, or by mail if you are already eligible to vote by
mail.
Q. What do I do if I change my name?
Promptly notify the voter registrar
in writing of your new name by:
- Correcting the information on your
current voter registration certificate and returning it to the voter registrar; or
- Completing a voter registration
application (contact the Orange County Voter Registrar or the Secretary of State's office
for a form.)
- Your spouse, parent of child (acting
as an agent) may complete and sign a voter registration form for you, provided that this
person is a registered voter, or has applied for registration.
Q. What do I do if I lost my certificate?
Notify the voter registrar in
writing or call, and by completing a voter registration application a new certificate will
be issued to you.