Voter Registration Information

Who can vote in Texas?

To be eligible to register to vote in Texas, a person must be:

  • A United States citizen;
  • A resident of the Texas county in which application for registration is made;
  • At least 18 years old on Election Day;
  • Not finally convicted of a felony, or, if so convicted must have (1) fully discharged the sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or (2) been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote; and
  • Not determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be (1) totally mentally incapacitated; or (2) partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

How do you register?

Registering to vote is easy in Texas.  It doesn't even require a stamp!  Official applications to register to vote are postage-paid by the State of Texas.

You may obtain an application from the County Voter Registrar's office (204 E Jefferson Street, Waxahachie, TX 75165), the Secretary of State's Office, libraries, many post offices, or high schools.  You can call us (972-825-5195)  to request that we send you an official, postage-paid application.  You may download an informal application, but you will be required to affix a stamp before mailing.  You may also register to vote when you apply for or renew your driver's license In-person or On-line with the DPS office. 

Read the instructions on the form, fill it out and mail it to the County Voter Registrar, or hand-deliver it to the County Voter Registrar's office. 

You must be at least 17 years and 10 months of age on the date you apply. If for any reason you cannot register yourself, with your permission, your spouse, parent or child may fill out and sign an application for you if that person is a registered voter or has applied for voter registration. This person is known as your "agent."

The application must be received in the County Voter Registrar's office or postmarked 30 days before an election in order for you to be eligible to vote in that election.  You will receive a voter registration certificate in the mail after the County Voter Registrar has processed your voter registration application. Upon receipt of the voter registration certificate, sign it, fold it and keep it for your precinct and district information. However, it is now not required at the polls when you vote. Did you receive your new voters registration certificate?  Click Here...

All voters who registered to vote in Texas must provide a Texas driver's license number or personal identification number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety or the last four digits of your social security number.  If you have not been issued any of these numbers, then you must state that fact on the application by checking the designated box.

Application to register to vote in Ellis County Print, fill out, sign and mail. (Informal application)

Fillable application to register to vote Fill out, print, sign and mail. (Votetexas.gov)

On-line Voter Registration Address Change (A current Texas registered voter can now change their address online if they move within their county or from/to another county in Texas.)

Facts and Questions about registering to vote (Votetexas.gov website)


Check your voter registration status at this link or by calling the Election's Office 972-825-5195.        ***AM I REGISTERED?*** (sos.state.tx.us website)


What if I don't have a driver's license, personal identification number, OR a social security number? Can I still register to vote in Texas?

A voter who has not been issued a driver’s license or social security number may register to vote, but such voter must submit proof of identification when presenting himself/herself for voting or with his/her mail-in ballots, if voting by mail.  These voters’ names are flagged on the official voter registration list with the annotation of “ID.”  The “ID” notation instructs the poll worker to request a proper form of identification from these voters when they present themselves for voting, unless they are a voter with a permanent exemption on the voter registration certificate. The voter must present one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of identification:

  • Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
  • Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
  • Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
  • Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
  • United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
  • United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
  • United States passport

Voter registration certificate

  • Once you apply, a voter registration certificate (proof of registration) will be mailed to you within 30 days.
  • Check your certificate to be sure all information is correct. (If there is a mistake, make correction on the back and return it to the voter registrar immediately.)
  • Voter Certificate Information for Ellis County voters
  • If you lose your certificate, notify your County Voter Registrar in writing to receive a new one.
  • You will automatically receive a new certificate every two years, if you haven't moved from the address at which you are registered.

If you move within Ellis County

If you move within the Texas simply go to the Secretary of State's web site and change your address online. It is helpful if you promptly notify the County Voter Registrar by: 

  • in writing with signature, name and birth and give your new address; OR
  • correcting your current voter registration certificate on the back and returning it to the County Voter Registrar; OR
  • filling out a new voter registration application form and checking the "change" box; OR
  • making simultaneous changes to your driver's license and voter registration when you apply for or update your driver's license.

You will receive a new certificate with your new address. You will be able to vote in your new precinct 30 days after your change of address is submitted. If you miss the deadline (30 days before an election), you may vote in your former precinct as long as you still reside in the political subdivision conducting the election.

Your residence is located in a specific "precinct," which is an area within the county. Starting in 2022 their are 59 precincts within Ellis County. Ellis County has been approved and authorized by the State of Texas to continue to hold elections using countywide precinct polling locations (Vote Centers). This allows Ellis County registered voters to vote at ANY Vote Center that is convenient for the voter. Voters can vote near where they work, live, or go to school within the county. You will no longer have to vote at your specific precinct location on Election Day. This will NOT eliminate your voter registration precinct number, that data is still very important to define the area and districts you live within. The Elections Department can give you a list of polling locations, or you can check on-line for each election posted here. 

If you move to another county

You must re-register! Fill out a new application and mail it, or take it in person, to the Voter Registrar of your new county. You can now update your registration online even if you move from one Texas county to another. Click here: Voter Registration Address Change You will be registered 30 days after your application is submitted. You will receive a new certificate.

After changing residence to another county, a person may be eligible to vote a “limited” ballot in his/her new county of residence on candidates or issues common to the old and new counties.  A “limited” ballot may be voted only during early voting by personal appearance or by mail (not on Election Day) if:

  • the person would have been eligible to vote in the county of former residence on Election Day if still residing in that county;
  • the person is registered to vote in the county of former residence at the time the person offers to vote in the county of new residence; and
  • a voter registration for the person in the county of new residence is not effective on or before Election Day.

Name change

Promptly notify the County Voter Registrar, in writing with signature, of the name change using the same steps as for IF YOU MOVE WITHIN THE COUNTY or you can click here to change it online: Voter Registration Address Change . You will receive a new certificate 30 days after your name change notice is submitted. You may continue to vote during this period. You may sign an affidavit at the polls and present a form of identification.

How do I get my deceased family members' voter registration canceled?
Send a letter requesting cancellation to the Voter Registration Office stating that the voter is deceased. Include the name of the voter, registration address and date of birth. Sign your name and record your relationship to the voter beside your name (i.e. husband, wife, son, daughter, etc). Our office does need something in writing with your signature.

My registration status says "Suspense", what does that mean?

Suspense means that the voter registrar is not certain of your residential address. If the registrar has reason to believe that a voter's current residence is different from that indicated on the registration records, then the registrar shall deliver to the voter a written confirmation notice requesting confirmation of the voter's current residence. When a Notice of Address Confirmation is sent, the voter automatically is put on suspense. As a common practice, a Notice of Address Confirmation is sent (and an individual is placed on suspense) when:

  1. The voter’s registration certificate has been returned as non-deliverable;
  2. A Jury Summons is returned as non-deliverable; or
  3. Any mailing that was sent to the voter was returned as non-deliverable.
  4. The voter registrar has received information indicating the voter no longer resides at the address on the voter’s record.

A voter whose status is on suspense is eligible to vote in an election provided that the voter completes a Statement of Residence either when voting by mail or at the polls prior to voting (within the same county as the voter’s current registration) or (if the voter has moved to a new county) completes a Limited Ballot application (only statewide elections) during Early Voting at the main early voting polling place. A voter on Suspense who has moved within the same county would be allowed to vote on the precinct ballot style in which the voter previously resided within and will need to complete a Statement of Residence at the polls. A voter may also complete a Voter Registration Application to update his/her address prior to the Registration Cutoff deadline of 30 days before any election and send the newly updated application to the Voter Registrar in the county in which the voter now resides within.

For more information on registering to vote, call us at 972-825-5195 or email us at elections@co.ellis.tx.us or come see us at 204 E Jefferson Street, Waxahachie Tx 75165.