Voter Guide 2024 | What Bexar County voters should know for the May elections
From voter registration questions to explaining how to cast your vote, here's the latest information for this big election year.
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Another presidential election year has arrived, and KENS 5 is here to make sure you're equipped with everything you need before heading to the polls.
This May, Bexar County voters will have two elections to make their voices heard. On May 4, various municipalities and districts within the county will hold elections for mayor, council members, propositions and bonds in the Joint General, Special and Bond Election. Then on May 28, the Texas Primary Runoff election will help determine the winners of races that were not revolved in the Texas Primary election on March 5.
When polls close on election day at 7 p.m., all results will be posted at KENS5.com/elections. We're here to make sure you have everything you need to be ready.
We're presenting this voter guide in chronological order of the process. The topics include:
- How to register to vote.
- Key dates for the election.
- How to cast your vote in the election.
- Learning about candidates.
- Tracking elections results.
How to register to vote
The deadline to register to vote is 30 days prior to the election in which you wish to vote. If you don't know whether you're registered to vote, you can check here.
Key election dates
Here are the dates you'll need to know in order to navigate the election process in Texas:
Joint General, Special and Bond Election
- Thursday, April 4: Last day to register to vote in the primary.
- Monday, April 22: Early voting opens in Bexar County
- Tuesday, April 23: Last day to apply to vote by mail
- Tuesday, April 30: Early voting closes in Bexar County
- Saturday, May 4: Election Day
Joint Primary Runoff Election
- Friday, April 26: Last day to register to vote in the primary.
- Friday, May 17: Last day to apply to vote by mail
- Monday, May 20: Early voting opens in Bexar County
- Friday, May 24: Early voting closes in Bexar County
- Tuesday, May 28: Election Day
How to cast your vote
Early voting
Early voting in Bexar County is open from April 22-30 for the Joint General, Special and Bond Election to allow community members the opportunity to cast their ballots ahead of election day. Polling hours depend on the day:
- Monday through Thursday, April 22-25: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Saturday, April 27: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday, April 28: Noon to 6 p.m.
- Monday and Tuesday, April 29-30: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Early voting hours for the Texas Primary Runoff Election have not yet been posted by the Bexar County Elections Department.
Voters needed to bring one of the forms of ID listed in the section below. View a list of early voting locations in Bexar County.
On Election Day
The polls in Bexar County will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the Joint General, Special and Bond Election on Saturday, May 4. Those who are in line when polls close will have a chance to fill out and cast their ballot.
A complete list of voting locations can be found here.
A sample ballot for the Joint General, Special and Bond Election can be found here.
Remember: Just because you're registered doesn't mean you won't need to be ready at the polls. Make sure to have at least one of the following types of ID:
- Texas driver's license
- Texas election ID certificate
- Personal Texas ID card
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. citizenship certificate with photo
- U.S. military ID
- U.S. passport (book or card)
For those who don't have and can't reasonably obtain one of those kinds of identification ahead of election day, click here to find out your options. Curbside voting is also available at most locations during the early voting period and on election day; just make sure to call your polling place ahead of time.
Mail-in voting
Texans are allowed to vote by mail but must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- If you're 65 years of age or older on election day.
- If you're sick or disabled (here that means having a sickness or physical condition preventing you from appearing at the polls on election day without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring your health).
- If you're going to be out of the county on election day or during the early-voting period.
- If you're expected to give birth within three weeks before or after election day.
- If you're confined in jail, but are eligible to vote.
Those eligible must fill out this absentee-ballot application and submit it to the Bexar County Elections Office to be able to submit a mail-in ballot for the election. It must be completed and received at the elections office at least 11 days before the election.
Voter ID
You don't want to get to a polling location and not be ready. There are certain types of ID you need to show before you cast your ballot.
Here's a list that shows you all of the acceptable ID forms.
Is my voter registration information public?
Voter privacy rules vary by state. In Texas, if you are registered to vote, your name, address, precinct you live in and registration number is public record. But your birthday or social security number is kept confidential. The Texas secretary of state allows certain individuals to keep their information confidential, including law enforcement, judges and some crime victims.
What's on the ballot?
A sample ballot for the Joint General, Special and Bond Election scheduled for May 4 can be found here.
The sample ballot for the Texas Primary Runoff Election scheduled for May 28 has not yet been posted by the Bexar County Elections Department.
Tracking election results
KENS5.com will have live updates of all results in the Bexar County and Texas elections. All results will be posted at KENS5.com/elections.