Early voting in Fort Bend County gives you nearly two weeks of extra days and flexible locations to cast your ballot before Election Day. For the March 3, 2026 primary, early voting runs Tuesday, February 17 through Friday, February 27. You can vote at any early voting site in the county regardless of where you live, and the ID rules and ballot are identical to what you’d use on Election Day.
Early Voting Dates for 2026
Texas law opens early voting on the 17th day before Election Day and closes it on the 4th day before. If the start date lands on a weekend, voting begins the following Monday. The Texas Secretary of State has set these 2026 windows:
- March 3 Primary: Tuesday, February 17 through Friday, February 27, 2026
- May 2 Uniform Election: Monday, April 20 through Tuesday, April 28, 2026
- May 26 Primary Runoff: Monday, May 18 through Friday, May 22, 2026
Runoffs get a shorter window because state law compresses that timeline. The November general election follows the same 17-to-4-days-before formula. Check the Fort Bend County Elections website for any additional local elections scheduled during the year.1Texas Secretary of State. Important Election Dates
Early Voting Hours
During the first week, the main polling location stays open at least nine hours each weekday. Doors open no earlier than 6:00 a.m. and close no later than 10:00 p.m. Fort Bend County typically sets standard hours during this stretch.
For primaries and the general election, state law requires at least 12 consecutive hours of voting each weekday during the final week of early voting. The county usually adds weekend hours during that stretch too. Exact hours vary by election, so confirm the schedule on the county elections page before you go.2VoteTexas.gov. Early Voting
Where to Vote Early
Any early voting site in Fort Bend County will accept your ballot. You are not tied to a location based on your address or precinct. If you live in Sugar Land but work near Missouri City, you can stop at whichever site is closest to whatever you’re doing that day.
The county posts its list of early voting sites and an interactive map on its elections page at fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/elections-voter-registration. The number of sites and their addresses change from election to election, so pull up the current list closer to the voting period. Every site is equipped to load your specific ballot based on your registered address, so you’ll see every race you’re eligible to vote in no matter which one you visit.3Fort Bend County. Early Voting Schedule/Polling Locations
Who Can Vote Early
Any qualified, registered voter in Fort Bend County can vote early in person. Texas does not require an excuse for in-person early voting.4State of Texas. Texas Election Code Chapter 82 – Eligibility for Early Voting
To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and a resident of the county. You also need to be registered at least 30 days before the election. If you’ve recently moved into Fort Bend County from elsewhere in Texas, you can update your registration address, but the 30-day cutoff still applies. The Secretary of State’s office accepts online updates through VoteTexas.gov.5VoteTexas.gov. Register to Vote in Texas
What ID to Bring
Texas accepts one of seven photo IDs at the polls:
- Texas driver license issued by the Department of Public Safety
- Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
- Texas election identification certificate issued by DPS (free of charge)
- Texas handgun license issued by DPS
- U.S. military identification card with a photo
- U.S. citizenship certificate with a photo
- U.S. passport (book or card)
If you’re between 18 and 69, the ID can be expired as long as it expired no more than four years before you show up to vote. Voters 70 and older can use an ID that’s been expired for any length of time.6VoteTexas.gov. Voter ID
College student IDs are not accepted in Texas, even from state universities. This catches some first-time voters off guard.
If You Don’t Have a Photo ID
If you can’t reasonably obtain any of the seven photo IDs, you can still vote by presenting a supporting document and signing a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polling place. Acceptable supporting documents include a voter registration certificate, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or birth certificate. On the declaration, you indicate which barrier prevents you from getting a photo ID and affirm under penalty of perjury that the information is truthful.7State of Texas. Texas Election Code Chapter 63 – Voting Procedures
Mail Ballots Are a Narrow Alternative
Texas does not offer universal mail-in voting. You can only request a mail ballot if you meet one of these conditions:
- You are 65 or older
- You have a sickness or physical condition that prevents you from appearing in person
- You will be away from Fort Bend County during the entire early voting period and on Election Day
- You expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
- You are confined in jail but otherwise eligible to vote
If you qualify, submit an Application for Ballot by Mail to the Fort Bend County Elections Administrator. You can fax or email the application, but the original hard copy still has to be mailed and received by the early voting clerk within four business days. Plan ahead, because the application deadline falls well before Election Day.8Texas Secretary of State. Application for a Ballot by Mail
What Happens at the Polling Place
Fort Bend County uses the Hart InterCivic Verity Touch Writer, a touchscreen ballot-marking device with an attached printer. A poll worker at check-in verifies your ID and confirms your registration, then hands you a five-digit access code tied to your specific ballot style. You take that code to any open Verity Touch Writer and enter it to begin.
The screen walks you through your races one at a time. After you make your selections, a summary screen lets you review them. When you confirm, the machine prints a paper record listing every choice. Read the printout carefully. That paper is the official record of your vote, not the touchscreen selections.9Verified Voting. Hart InterCivic Verity Touch Writer
You then carry the printed ballot to a separate Verity Scan unit and feed it in. Once the scanner accepts it, your vote is recorded and you’re done. The paper is retained for audit purposes.
If You Make a Mistake
Catch an error before scanning and you can get a replacement. Return the spoiled ballot to an election worker, who cancels it by writing “SPOILED” on the back and issues a new one. Texas law allows up to two replacement ballots per voter. Once your ballot goes through the scanner, though, it’s final and can’t be pulled back.10State of Texas. Texas Election Code Chapter 64 – Voting Procedures
Accessibility and Language Assistance
Every polling place in Fort Bend County must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under ADA Title II, state and local governments have to ensure voters with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote, including physical access to the facility and the voting equipment. Where permanent accessibility features are lacking, the county can use temporary measures like portable ramps. If a location can’t be made accessible, an alternative site or voting method must be provided.11ADA.gov. ADA Checklist for Polling Places
Fort Bend County’s demographics trigger federal language assistance requirements under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. Covered jurisdictions must provide ballots, voting instructions, and oral assistance in the applicable minority language in addition to English. If you need language help at the polls, you’re entitled to it by federal law.12U.S. Department of Justice. Language Minority Citizens
Time Off Work to Vote
Texas entitles employees to paid time off to vote on Election Day, unless they already have at least two consecutive hours of free time while polls are open. The early voting window largely solves the scheduling problem since it spans nearly two weeks and includes extended evening and weekend hours. If your schedule genuinely doesn’t allow it, though, the legal protection exists. Your employer can’t dock your pay for the time spent voting, and the leave applies to mandatory overtime hours as well.13Texas Guidebook for Employers. Voting – Time Off
Look at Your Sample Ballot First
Fort Bend County posts sample ballots on its elections website once an election is finalized. Look up yours by entering your address, since the races on your ballot depend on which districts overlap your home. Ten minutes with the sample at home means you won’t be standing in the booth trying to research candidates on your phone.