Need to register to vote? Tuesday is your lucky day. Here’s what you need to know

If you need help registering to vote — or changing your mailing address because you’ve moved recently — just head to a courthouse or subcourthouse on Tuesday.

Election officials will be working at those buildings throughout Tarrant County to help anyone register to vote as part of National Voter Registration Day, a 50-state effort to register new voters.

“Obviously we want to increase turnout in the county,” said Heider Garcia, Tarrant County’s elections administrator. “Sometimes people have the intent to vote, but their not having the registration can make it not so smooth.

“Updating registration, and making sure people are all ready on Election Day, will make it a much better experience.”

More than 15.5 million Texans — including more than 1.1 million in Tarrant County — are registered to vote, according to state election records.

But many more aren’t registered.

So from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, election workers will be at subcourthouses throughout Tarrant County — as well as at elections headquarters — with all the paperwork anyone needs to fill out to register to vote or change their mailing address because they moved, Garcia said.

“Don’t wait until the last minute, make sure you are registered well in advance of the October 9th voter registration deadline so that you cast a ballot in the November General Election,” Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos said.

Pablos added that he “wants to ensure that all eligible Texans can cast their ballots with confidence this November, and the first step in doing so is to make sure you are registered and ready to make your trip to the polls.”

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 9.

Here’s where election workers will be Tuesday: Southwest subcourthouse, 6551 Granbury Road in Fort Worth; Charles F. Griffin subcourthouse, 3212 Miller Ave. in Fort Worth; Arlington subcourthouse, 700 E. Abram St. in Arlington; Mansfield subcourthouse, 1100 E. Broad in Mansfield; Northeast Courthouse, 645 Grapevine Highway in Hurst; Southlake Town Hall, 1400 Main St. in Southlake; Northwest Subcourthouse, 6713 Telephone Road in Lake Worth; an the Tarrant County Administration Building, 100 E. Weatherford St. in Fort Worth.

Workers also will help register voters at the Tarrant County Elections Center, 2700 Premier St. in Fort Worth.

More information

When can I vote? Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 6, Election Day. Early voting for the election runs from Oct. 22-Nov. 2.

Who can register to vote? To register to vote in Texas, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 by Election Day, mentally sound and not a convicted felon unless the sentence has been completed, including parole or probation. For new residents in Texas, there’s no requirement stipulating how long you must live here before registering to vote.

How do I know if I’m already registered to vote? You can check your status online at the Texas Secretary of State’s website, votetexas.gov, or by calling the local elections office at 817-831-8683.

What if I moved but I’m still in Tarrant County? You need to fill out a form changing your mailing address so there won’t be any problems when you try to vote. “Everybody knows if you move into the state or county that you have to register,” Garcia said. “But many don’t realize they need to register again if they move within the county. They do.”

If I can’t make it to a courthouse Tuesday, where can I register to vote? Voter registration applications are available online; at the Tarrant County Elections Administration, 2700 Premier St.; and at subcourthouses, city halls, libraries and post offices. They must be dropped off at the election office or clearly postmarked by Oct. 9.

Can I vote by mail? If you are going to be out of town during early voting and on Election Day — or if you are at least 65 or disabled — you have until Oct. 26 to ask for a mail-in ballot. Applications for mail-in ballots may be downloaded from the Texas Secretary of State’s website and returned to county election officials by fax, mail or email.

How do I get more information about the elections? Local voters may call the Tarrant County Elections Office at 817-831-8683. Voters statewide may call the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-252-8683. Sample ballots are available online at the Tarrant County Election website.