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May 6 election early voting guide: Where to vote, what to bring, what's on the ballot

Voters will decide several school board and municipal races on May 6.

Credit: KHOU 11

HOUSTON — May 6 is Election Day in Texas, with plenty of races that voters will decide on. It's a big election for school boards across the Houston area. There will also be races for mayor in several cities and towns in Southeast Texas, as well as other municipal leadership positions.

Early voting goes from April 24 through May 3. Here's what you need to know to cast your ballot before Election Day.

May 6 election timeline

April 24 First Day of Early Voting
April 25 Last Day to apply for mail-in ballot
May 3 Last Day of Early Voting
May 6-Election Day/Last Day to receive mail-in ballot

What do I need to bring with me to vote?

Before you head out to vote, make sure you have something with you to prove who you are! According to VoteTexas.com, these are the acceptable forms of identification.

Texas Driver's 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 don't have one of the above forms of ID, VoteTexas.com says you can bring 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).

You can learn more about acceptable forms of ID here.

How do I check if I'm registered to vote?

Anyone can check their registration in less than two minutes through the Texas Secretary of State. All you need is your name, county and date of birth. It's really that easy.

Specifically, for Harris County, you can verify your voter registration information on HarrisVotes.org. Simply click on "Voter Registration," then select "Voter Registration Search." By inputting your name or address, you can find your voter registration record.

Where do I vote?

In Harris County, you're able to vote at any of the voting centers. Here's a map of the locations and hours, plus wait times.

In some of the links below, you'll need to navigate to find the sample ballots.

Sample ballots

In some of the links below, you'll need to navigate to find the sample ballots.

To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must:

Be 65 years or older
Be sick or disabled
Be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or
Be expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day; or
Be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.

If you plan to vote by mail, the application and instructions are all here on the Secretary of State's website.

On the ballot

One of the big items on the May 6 ballot is the $1.2 billion Ft. Bend County ISD bond. Jason Miles looked into what's covered, including replacing one high school in the district that's having foundation problems.

There are also school board races in the following districts: Alvin ISD, Anahuac ISD, Angleton ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Cleveland ISD, Columbia-Brazoria ISD, Danbury ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Galena Park ISD, Goose Creek ISD, Hitchcock ISD, Humble ISD, Katy ISD, Lamar Consolidated ISD, Magnolia ISD, Needville ISD, Palacios ISD, Pearland ISD, Pasadena ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Stafford ISD, Sweeny ISD, Wharton ISD

There are city leadership races in the following: Friendswood, Humble, Jersey Village, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, South Houston, West University Place, Alvin, Angleton, Ioway Colony, Brazoria, Manvel, Brookside Village, Clute, Danbury, Freeport, Lake Jackson, Pearland, Richwood, Village of Surfside, Sweeny, Anahuac, Pleak, Simonton, Stafford, Dickinson, Galveston, Friendswood, Jamaica Beach, Kemah, La Marque, Tiki Island, Cleveland, Montgomery, Oak Ridge, Shenandoah, Stagecoach, Bay City, Palacios, Wharton, El Campo