Election Day is coming once again.
On May 3, registered voters will cast their ballots in municipal elections across the state.
This is the time voters elect their mayors, city council members and, in some markets, school board trustees.
Municipal elections do not generate the visibility and voter turnout of national elections.
It is important to understand what is on the ballot and how to research the candidates before voting.
“You want to vote in the local election.
It’s something that doesn’t seem very exciting but, like what happened in the last election, amendments to the charter were made and some people probably didn’t vote, wishing they had.
They might not like the changes,” said Ernestine Chipman with the League of Women Voters of Irving, the local chapter of the national nonpartisan, non-profit organization that promotes voting.
For those who are already registered, the next step is looking up their individual ballots and researching the candidates.
Chipman recommends visiting the League of Women Voters national website at Vote411.org.
Voters can input their address, confirm their registration, pull up a sample ballot and research the candidates.
Other resources include the county election website, DallasCountyVotes.org and your local newspapers.
“We try to make voting easier, because Texas is not known for making voting easy and it’s rather intimidating.
So, we want people to be aware there are tools out there to make voting as easy as possible,” Chipman said.
Voter registration for the municipal election ended April 2.
Those who are not registered are not eligible to vote this time.
According to the League of Women Voter’s website, the criteria to register to vote includes being a citizen of the United States, a resident of the county where you apply, 18-years of age or older on Election Day, not a convicted felon (although you may be eligible if you completed your sentence, probation or parole) and to not have been declared mentally incapacitated by a judge.
The League’s volunteer deputy registrars are available for in-person registration on most Dallas College campuses several months prior to upcoming local, state and national elections.
Voter registration cards are available at many government offices and libraries that can be filled out and mailed.
Those who register online must print out, sign and mail the application.
All materials must be received by the deadlines posted on the websites.
Early voting takes place April 22 – 29.
Registered voters can cast their ballots at any election site in the county where they live.
A photo ID is required.
Dallas College campuses are voting locations in Dallas County.
At North Lake Campus, registered voters can cast their ballots on the bottom floor of the library.