October 2026 Edition

In this issue:

• Get Ready to Vote!

• National Voter Education Week: Get Vote Ready with LWV 

• Message from Advocacy Vice President

• Member & Community Engagement: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

• Special screening of the new childcare documentary “No Country for Mothers"

• Upcoming Events 

GET READY TO VOTE!

Dorit Suffness prepared a new Get Ready to Vote flyer with important election information. Download it from our website and help us share it throughout the community. 

National Voter Education Week: Get Vote Ready with LWV 

National Voter Education Week, (October 5–9) is a nonpartisan week of action that helps voters feel confident to participate in the November election. Each day focuses on a key step: checking registration, learning about the ballot, making a voting plan, understanding the voting process, and encouraging others to vote. Use the week to confirm your registration, find your polling place, learn about candidates and issues on your ballot, and share trusted resources such as VOTE411 with friends, family, and neighbors.

Monday, Oct. 5 : Check Your Registration  

Monday, October 5 is the deadline to register to vote in Texas for the November 3 election. 

Check your registration as soon as possible. Dallas County residents can use the Dallas County voter lookup, while all Texas voters can check their registration using the Texas Secretary of State’s statewide tool. 

Need to update your registration? You can update your voter information through the Texas Secretary of State’s voter services.

Need to register? Start a new Texas voter registration application here. Complete the form, print it, sign and date it, then:

• Deliver it in person to your county voter registrar on Oct. 5. Dallas County Elections Department will hold a drive-through event on Monday, Oct.5, between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. at 1520 Round Table Drive, Dallas, TX 75247.

• If mailing on Oct. 5, take the application to a USPS retail counter and ask for a manual postmark. (For Dallas County residents, Dallas County Elections,1520 Round Table Drive, Dallas, TX 75247). 

Tuesday,October 6: Get to Know Your Ballot

Our online guide, VOTE411, goes live today! It’s your one-stop source for nonpartisan election information. Our volunteers have been working hard developing questions, inviting candidates to respond, giving voters the opportunity to review their answers side by side. 

The guide covers statewide offices, including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General; seats in the Texas House, Texas Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate; seats on the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals; State Board of Education; district and local judicial races, county offices, and local propositions.

Go to VOTE411.org, enter your address to see the races and candidates on your ballot, or pick up a printed guide at locations throughout Dallas County after October 13.

Wednesday,October 7: Make a Voting Plan 

Now that you know what’s on your ballot, make a plan for when, where, and how you will vote. Research shows that voters who decide when, where, and how they’ll vote are far more likely to participate!

Texans can vote during Early Voting (Oct. 19- Oct.30) or on Election Day, November 3.

Voting by mail is limited to voters who use certain requirements. You may qualify if you

• Will be 65 or older on Election Day,

• Have a qualifying illness of disability,

• Expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day,

• Will be outside the county during both Early Voting and on Election Day, or

• Are confined in jail or subject to involuntary civil commitment. 

The Early Voting Clerk must receive your application to vote by mail by October 23.

If you are voting in person in Dallas County, use Dallascountyvotes.org to find your polling location and check when polls open and close before you go. 

Need a ride? Through Lyft’s Voting Access Program, enter promo code VOTE26 in the Lyft app before Nov.3 for 50% off (up to $10 off) for a ride to your polling place. I

What ID should I bring ? When you vote in person,  bring a photo ID if you have one. Texas accepts these seven kinds of photo ID:

• Texas driver’s license issued by DPS, 

• Texas personal ID issued by DPS,

• Texas Election Identification Certificate,

• Texas handgun license issued by DPS, 

• U.S. Citizenship Certificate with photo, 

• U.S. Military ID or

• U.S. Passport book or card. 

If you don’t have one of the accepted photo IDs, and cannot reasonably get one, you can still vote a regular ballot. At the polling place, fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and show one supporting document with your name and address, such as a certified birth certificate, government check, current bank statement, current utility, paycheck, or government document showing your name and address like a voter registration certificate. 

Need more voter ID information? Join VoteRiders for a webinar on Oct. 7. The webinar will explain voter ID and proof of citizenship laws, discuss how these rules can affect our communities and share resources to help voters get the ID they need.  

Thursday, October 8: Understand the Process

Voting in Texas has some rules you should know about before you go to the polls.

• Texas does not have a straight ticket voting. 

• In Dallas County, some unopposed candidates will appear in a bloc because the ballot is long. You may vote for the whole group or skip the group. You cannot choose only some candidates in that group. 

• Turn off and put away your phone, tablets or other communication devices when you enter the room where voting is taking place. 

• You can bring a printed guide, printed notes or handwritten notes to use while voting. 

• After October 5, if you are registered in another Texas county but your registration is not effective in Dallas County in time for the election you may qualify for a limited ballot. Limited ballots are only available during Early Voting and must be cast at the main early voting location. The races on your ballot would include statewide races and certain districts shared by your old and new counties.

• If you need help in a language other than English, you may use an interpreter of your choice or an interpreter provided by election officials. 

• If a mobility problem substantially impairs your ability to walk or stand, you can ask to be moved to the front of the line. A person assisting you may also receive priority at your request.

• Curbside voting is available at every polling location. If you cannot safely go inside the polling place without help, or going inside is likely to injure your health, you can request to vote from your vehicle.  When you arrive at your polling place, park in the designated area for curbside voters. Call the posted number to tell election workers that you arrived. Election workers will bring voting equipment to your vehicle. Other passengers in the vehicle may also vote curbside upon request. 

• Know your rights at the polls. Election Protection provides nonpartisan assistance at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8693) with assistance also available in Spanish and Asian languages.

Friday, October 9: Share Your Plans

You are a trusted messenger in your community. Reach out to five people and encourage them to check their voter registration and make a plan to vote. Share VOTE411.org so they can research their ballot, compare candidates’ responses, find their polling place, and other nonpartisan information. Get election reminders from LWV Texas by texting VOTERINFO to 512-595-3755. 

LWV Texas has a 2026 Texas Midterm Election Toolkit for anyone who wants to help get out the vote. It includes graphics, sample social media posts, and talking points for our #VOTE411, #TexasSizedTurnout and #NoMoreExcuses campaigns. Use these resources to share accurate, nonpartisan voting information with family, neighbors and community groups.

DPS Voter Registration Glitch: Help Spread the Word

State election officials recently discovered that the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) failed to transmit hundreds of thousands of voter-registration applications and updates submitted through its online driver’s license portal to county voter registrars. The problem stemmed from a software update by a DPS vendor in October 2025 that left some records incomplete and prevented them from being properly transmitted for county processing.

According to WFAA, beginning September 23, Dallas County Elections received approximately 68,401 delayed DPS records, including registrations and voter-information updates that had not reached the county when originally submitted. County election staff worked through the weekend and reported that they had reviewed and processed all eligible records by September 27; registration certificates for newly registered voters were mailed beginning September 28.

Here’s what to do:

If you renewed or updated your Texas driver's license or ID and registered to vote or updated your registration during the transaction, all Texas voters can check your registration at VoteTexas.gov

If your registration does not appear or your information is incorrect 

1. Contact your county elections office or voter registrar as soon as possible. If you live in Dallas County, call Dallas Elections at 469-627-8683. You can also visit the Dallas County Elections Department on Monday, Oct.5, between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. at 1520 Round Table Drive, Dallas, TX 75247. Staff will be available to help voters check their registration status, update an address, and submit registration materials before the deadline.

2. Let the League know. Complete the League’s reporting form and provide your county, the approximate date you used the DPS online system if you know it, and what you found when you checked your registration. 

Election Protection Poll Monitors Needed

LWV Texas is proud to be part of the Election Protection Coalition. Our coalition is made up of nonpartisan organizations that are aligned with the League's mission of empowering voters and defending democracy

Help us ensure that our elections are safeguarded for the November 2026 Midterms by volunteering to serve as an Election Protection Poll Monitor. Trainings run through Oct. 31st. You can register for the training and find more information here.

Please reach out to Kay Lowell, LWVTX EP Coalition Representative, with questions.

Oppose Unconstitutional Census Rule Change 

On September 10, the United States Census Bureau published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Federal Register that would change the residence rule used to produce census apportionment data. The proposal would only count U.S. citizens and green card holders,  excluding non-citizen visa holders and undocumented immigrants. The notice also proposes eliminating questions that collect race and ethnicity data, and bans the future addition of questions about sexual orientation and gender identity. 

These proposed changes would likely require adding a citizenship question to the census, which the first Trump Administration attempted but failed to implement in the 2020 census. A citizenship question would deter participation and the new rules on who counts for apportionment would lead to a dramatic undercount. Children whose parents are not permanent residents or are undocumented immigrants would be particularly vulnerable to being undercounted. Eliminating race and ethnicity data collection would worsen existing undercounts of racial and ethnic minorities. 

These changes threaten a full, fair, and accurate count of everyone living in the United States and could weaken the data communities rely on for redistricting, civil protections, and an equitable distribution of public resources. 

The League and our partners believe this proposed rule is unconstitutional and violates federal law. LWVUS advocacy has  prepared detailed guidance for individual members to take action on the proposal.

On October 2, the Department of Commerce and Census Bureau extended the public comment period until November 2. While the League welcomes this extension, a full 90 day extension through December 10, 2026, is necessary for more meaningful public input.

Here’s what to do:

1. Submit a public comment by November 2 through LWV’s live Action Alert or directly through the Federal Register website 

2. Tell Secretary Lutnick oppose the proposed Census rules and extend the public comment period through December 10, 2026, for more meaningful public input.

3. Use the sample letter below or write a personalized message explaining how the proposed changes could affect our community. Additional messaging guidance from our partners at Hands Off Our Census, National Conference on Citizenship, Project on Government Oversight (POGO), Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and National Council of Nonprofits. 

Sample Letter: 

To: The Honorable Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce 

Re: Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions (Docket No. 260903-0005; RIN 0607-AA75)

Dear Secretary Lutnick,

I strongly oppose the proposed rules for the census and changes to its residence rule. All persons in the United States have a right to be counted, as the 14th Amendment of the Constitution plainly establishes. This proposed rule will weaken our democracy, our systems of representation, and the doctrine of “one person, one vote.” Without an accurate count, people will not be fairly represented in Congress or state legislatures. 

By generating inaccurate and unreliable data, this change would also make it harder for my state and local officials to properly plan for the services we need and the emergencies we may face. Furthermore, the exclusion of questions about race and ethnicity will exacerbate the degradation of data quality, and it will lead to undercounts of Black and brown communities that are already undercounted in past censuses. If we don’t know who is living in our communities, we cannot prepare for the challenges we may face, and we will not receive adequate funds from federal programs. 

Additionally, the lack of transparency and sufficient opportunity for the public to comment on this incredibly consequential rule is concerning. I urge you to both extend the comment period to a full 90 days until December 9th, and to reject this proposed rule.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

The Joy of Registering Voters

By Joan M Ridley, VP of Advocacy

I admit it. I am bone tired. I could recite my spiel in my sleep about how to prepare to vote, while pointing to the QR code on the LWVD slim jim (or jimmy). I registered 61 first time voters in the last four days with some help from a few volunteers. It’s tiring to drive to new, unfamiliar schools and then deliver the voter registration applications to Dallas County Elections Department, usually in the rain. But I would do it again and I’m sure I will.

Registering all age groups is satisfying but registering first time voters is especially gratifying. In the last few months, leading up to the mid-term elections has been particularly fun. Students have been lined up to register to vote even before I could finish setting up my table. Some thought they had registered but wanted to be sure so I showed them how to check out their voter registration record. There is a lot of excitement about this up-coming election and the young people want to be a part of it. I don’t agree with those who think that the youth are not interested in voting and current events. The young people I meet are hungry for information. Many of course don’t want anything to do with all the political in-fighting, but who does? When you explain to them how their vote will impact their quality of life for years to come, they easily become engaged in a discussion – all without mentioning political parties or candidates.

Those students who have the most interest have a particular teacher who has enkindled an interest in governance in them. I am getting to know these teachers. They usually teach history or government. They all hold League of Women Voters in high esteem and view us as a part of their team to promote democracy. I do take all of our advocacy work seriously, but registering young first time voters is my favorite activity.  To me, it is the most important advocacy work because voting in a representative democracy is at the heart of maintaining it. Voting starts with registering to vote. When I register a first time voter, I feel as though I am participating in the birth of an involved citizen.

Texas Women’s Foundation is hosting a special screening of the new childcare documentary “No Country for Mothers,”on Wednesday, October 14 at the Angelika Theatre/Mockingbird Station. This film, produced by Moms First and featuring Founder and CEO Reshma Saujani (who also founded Girls Who Code), takes a provocative look at the many ways in which childcare is challenging – and dividing women – across the nation. Those interested in attending can register HERE.

Thank you!

League of Women Voters of Dallas

1402 Corinth Street, Room 109