Clock running down on voter registration

Castro County voters who have not registered to vote in the primaries have a very limited amount of time to become a qualified voter. The last day to register to vote is Feb. 5.

The last day to apply for a ballot (received, not postmarked( by mail is Feb. 23.

The first day of early voting in Texas is Feb. 20. Voters in Castro County may cast their ballots at the Castro County Courthouse in person. The last day of early voting is March 1.

The last day to receive a ballot by mail is March 5 on Primary Election Day at 7 p.m. if carrier envelope is not postmarked, or on March 6 by 5 p.m. if carrier envelope is postmarked.

The Texas primaries will be selecting Republican and Democrat candidates for the offices of president of the United States, U.S. senator, all 38 U.S. representatives, railroad commissioner, three members of the Texas Supreme Court, three members of the Court of Criminal Appeals, seven State Board of Education members, 15 state senators, all 150 state representatives, Chief Justice of Courts of Appeals, with various district judges, criminal district judges, district attorneys, sheriffs, County Courts at Law, county attorneys, tax assessors- collectors, county commissioners, justices of the peace and constables. Ballots vary from city to city, county to county depending on local government and districts.

To register to vote in Texas, a qualified individual can complete a voter registration application and return it to the county election office at least 30 days before the upcoming election date. Applications may be completed using the Secretary of State online voter application, which must be filled out, printed, signed and mailed directly to the county election office.

Voters may also contact or visit the local voter registrar to complete the registration process.

To be eligible to register to vote, individuals must be a United States citizen, be a resident of the county where the application is submitted, be at least 17 years and 10 months old on the date of voter registration, not be a convicted felon, and not have been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

When going to the polls to vote, individuals must present one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID.

Those who do not possess an acceptable form of photo identification and cannot reasonably obtain one, may present a supporting form of ID (one of which is a valid voter registration certificate) and execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration , noting a reasonable impediment to obtaining an acceptable form of photo identification, stating that the information contained in the declaration is true. An election official will match the name to the official list of registered voters.