Get ready, get set, vote

Early voting in Texas starts on Oct. 13. You still have time to register, but not much time: Monday, Oct. 5, is your last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election. So get registered! If you’ve moved recently and you’re not sure if you’re registered, check your status online. The League of Women Voters of Texas has released its 2020 nonpartisan voters guide, the “gold standard for nonpartisan, trusted voter information.” Download a printable copy or read the guide online in English or Spanish. Did you know that phones are not allowed in Texas voting booths? But printed material is allowed. So enter your street address at Vote411.org to get a personalized sample ballot to take with you to the polls or have handy at your kitchen table when you fill out your mail-in ballot. Speaking of voting by mail, if you’re eligible, you can apply now to vote by mail. Who’s eligible? Those who are 65 or older, sick or disabled, out of the county during the election period, or in jail but eligible to vote. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23. This year, Travis County voters may hand-deliver their personal mail-in ballots at one of four different drive-thru locations, starting today. You must show ID, wear your face mask and deposit your ballot into a ballot box. And ignore those neighborly urges, because you may not deliver a mail-in ballot for anyone else.