Texas and Georgia: Early Voting Is Here. Your Dates, Your ID, Your Deadlines
Texas opens its polls Monday, Oct. 19. Georgia has been voting since Oct. 13. Mail-ballot requests in both states are due Friday, Oct. 23. Here is everything you need, straight from official state sources.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS ANALYSIS | VOTER GUIDE | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | 9-min read Two of the biggest prizes on the 2026 map sit side by side this week: a U.S. Senate seat in Texas and the governor's office in Georgia. The Cook Political Report rates the Texas Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico a Toss Up [1]. So does Sabato's Crystal Ball [2]. Cook also rates Georgia's open race for governor, Rick Jackson vs. Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Toss Up [3]. Toss Up means either side can win. In races like these, the voters who show up, with the right ID and on time, decide it. Georgians got the message. On the first day of early voting, more than 188,600 Georgians voted in person. That broke Georgia's first-day early voting record for a midterm and was about 40 percent more than on the first day in 2022, according to the Georgia Secretary of State [4]. Texas, it's your turn. Our 10-state guide gave you the headline dates. This one goes deeper on Texas and Georgia: hours, the ID you must bring, mail-ballot rules and how to find your polling place. Every date links to the official state source. If anything here differs from what your county election office tells you, the county wins. Call them. Key Takeaways Texas: Early voting runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 30 [5]. Bring one of seven approved photo IDs [6]. Texas mail ballots: Your application must be received, not just mailed, by Friday, Oct. 23 [5]. Only some voters qualify, including everyone 65 or older [7]. Georgia: Advance voting runs through Friday, Oct. 30, and absentee applications must reach your county by Friday, Oct. 23 [8]. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in both states [9][8]. Texas: Your Early Voting Calendar Early voting in person: Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 30 [5]. Any registered voter may vote early in person. No excuse is needed [10]. Where: Any early voting location in the county where you are registered [10]. Hours: Hours vary…