Did you know that today is National Voter Registration Day? National Voter Registration Day aims to make sure no one who wants to cast a ballot misses the opportunity due to a registration problem.

This year, IDEA is celebrating National Voter Registration Day as part of our broader IDEA Votes effort, our non-partisan initiative to ensure that all eligible staff members, students, parents, and alumni can make their voices heard through voting.

Voting is the single most effective way to make your voice as a member of our society heard. When we all vote, we serve as role models for our students, so they become voters and pursue active citizenship. We hope you will join the IDEA Team & Family by registering to vote and encouraging friends and family to register TODAY!

The deadline to register to vote in the November election is Monday, October 5th, in Texas, and Tuesday, October 13th, in Louisiana. If you have recently moved, you might need to update your registration. Confirm your registration status at www.vote.org and if needed, update your registration.

Ready to take the next step? Once you are registered or have confirmed your registration, please send this post to three friends. Our family, friends, and neighbors need encouragement to register and exercise their rights as voters! Even more fired up to ensure we have safe, fair, and accessible elections for all voters? Sign up to be a poll worker.

Frequently Asked Questions: Eligibility, Identification, and Voting By Mail

 1. Am I eligible to vote?

 You are eligible to vote if you:

• Are a United States citizen; and
• Are a resident of the county where you submit the application; and
• Are at least 17 years and 10 months old, and you are 18 years of age on Election Day (November 3rd).

Some additional restrictions may be applicable in rare cases.

2. What sort of identification do I need to vote?

 For Texas residents:

• You’ll need ONE of the following forms of ID:
  • 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 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 (book or card)
• If you do not have one of the above-listed forms of identification, you can apply for a Reasonable Impediment Declaration with ONE of the following:
  • Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate;
  • Copy of or original current utility bill;
  • Copy of or original bank statement;
  • Copy of or original government check;
  • Copy of or original paycheck; or
  • Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)

For Louisiana residents:

• You’ll need ONE of the following forms of ID:
  • Louisiana driver’s license;
  • Louisiana Special ID;
  • LA Wallet digital driver’s license;
  • United States Military Identification Card that contains the applicant’s name and picture; or
  • Some other generally recognized picture ID that contains your name and signature (e.g. a US Passport).
• If you do not have a driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID, a United States military identification card that contains the applicant’s name and a picture, or some other generally recognized picture ID that contains your name and signature, you may still cast your vote by signature on a voter affidavit.

In any other state, visit www.vote.org to check your eligibility and learn about acceptable forms of ID in your state.

3. I’m nervous to leave my home for health reasons. Am I eligible to vote by mail?

 You are eligible to vote by mail in Texas if you:

• Are 65 years or older; or
• Are disabled; or
• Are out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance.

Learn more about voting by mail using this guide from the Texas Tribune. Visit the Texas Secretary of State website to request an application to vote by mail.

You are eligible to vote by mail in Louisiana if you:

• Are in the military or an overseas citizen;
• Are 65 years or older;
  • Are disabled;
  • Are a student of professor;
  • Are religious clergy;
  • Are a voter who will be temporarily absent during early voting and election day;
  • Are a voter who moved to a new parish more than 100 miles from former residence within 30 days of the election;
  • Are a person involuntarily confined to an institution;
  • Are a sequestered juror;
  • Are a voter hospitalized or who expect to be hospitalized during early voting and election day;
  • Are a voter employed upon state waters
  • Are a voter incarcerated for non-felony with sheriff’s certification; and
  • Are a participant in the state’s address confidentiality program.

Questions or want to get involved with IDEA Votes, our non-partisan voter participation initiative? Please contact Annemarie Donnelly, Assistant Director of Advocacy, at annemarie.donnelly@ideapublicschools.org.

As a public charter school district and 501(c)(3), IDEA Public Schools is non-partisan and does not support or endorse any candidate, political party, or ballot measure.