Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

As we approach the upcoming Presidential Election this November, which also includes elections for U.S. Senate, Congress, the State Legislature and County offices, I urge you to either register to vote or confirm that your registration is valid before the October 7 deadline to ensure your voice is heard.

All residents of the state of Texas can easily confirm their voter registration status by searching for it on the Texas Secretary of State's website. If you are not currently registered to vote or wish to update your registration to your current address, it must be completed by October 7. You can register to vote by filing out, printing, and mailing a voter registration application, which you can access through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. The application must be postmarked by October 7. Alternately, various groups are conducting voter registration drives at tables in the UH Student Center daily between September 30 and the deadline of October 7.

As a reminder, the University of Houston will again serve as an early voting and election day polling location. Early Voting will be held on October 21-November 1 in the Student Center South, Space City Room from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. except for the days with extended hours. From October 28 – October 30 the polls will be open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. and on October 31 from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Election Day polling will be held on Tuesday, November 5 in the Student Center South Space City Room from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Only voters registered in Harris County may utilize this location to vote at this convenient and accessible on-campus voting site. Free parking is available at the Welcome Center Parking Garage for all voters. Bring your parking ticket to the polling location to be validated.

Harris County voters can access their personalized sample ballot here. For more information about voting in Harris County, visit Harris Votes. For information on the candidates, visit the non-partisan League of Women Voters of Houston Voters Guide.

Those registered to vote in other counties in Texas who wish to vote can visit Vote Texas for more details about polling locations and procedures in their own counties.

As a reminder for our students, staff or faculy who are registered to vote in another county in Texas outside of the Houston region, you can request and receive an absentee ballot to exercise your right to vote if you will not be in your home county during the early voting period or on election day.

Finally, the UH System SAM 02.D.04 – Leave of Absence allows employees to request, for prior approval, up to two hours off at the beginning or the end of the workday to vote on Election Day without deduction in pay or leave time.

Go Coogs and Go Vote!