Centerville, Texas Public Records

Texas residents can register to vote online through the Texas Secretary of State website at www.texas.gov or by submitting a voter registration application available from the Leon County Clerk, most post offices, and various government offices. Applications must be postmarked or delivered at least 30 days before an election. Eligibility requirements include U.S. Citizenship, being at least 18 years old by Election Day, county residency, not being finally convicted of a felony (or having completed sentence, probation, or parole), and not having been declared mentally incapacitated by a court. A Texas driver's license or personal identification number is required on the application. The City of Centerville conducts municipal elections for mayor and city council positions on uniform election dates established by Texas law, typically in May of odd-numbered years. The next municipal election is scheduled for May 2025, when city leadership positions will appear on the ballot. Candidate filings, city election information, and local ballot measures are available from Centerville City Hall at 120 West Trinity Street (phone 903-536-2221). Voters can locate their assigned polling place by contacting the Leon County Clerk's office or checking their voter registration certificate, which arrives by mail after registration and includes precinct information. During elections, polling locations are typically established at schools, community centers, and government buildings throughout Leon County. Early voting for county elections takes place at the Leon County Courthouse annex or other designated locations, typically beginning 17 days before Election Day and ending four days prior. Texas law provides public access to various election records. Voter registration lists are public information available from the county voter registrar, though they cannot be used for commercial purposes. Campaign finance reports for local candidates are filed with the city secretary for municipal races and with Leon County Clerk or Texas Ethics Commission for county and state races; these reports are public records. Precinct-by-precinct election results are public and typically posted on the Leon County website or available from the Leon County Clerk after elections are canvassed. In the November 2024 presidential election, Leon County reported approximately 7,200 ballots cast out of roughly 12,000 registered voters, representing about 60% turnout, with the county voting strongly Republican consistent with recent election patterns in rural East Texas. The November 3, 2026 general election will be significant for Centerville and Leon County voters. On the ballot will be elections for all statewide executive offices including Governor (Greg Abbott's term expires, and he is eligible to run for another four-year term), Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and other statewide officials. The U.S. Senate race for Texas will also appear on the 2026 ballot, as Senator John Cornyn's current term expires in January 2027. All Texas House of Representatives seats (Leon County is in District 13) are up for election every two years. Local voters will also decide several county offices including County Judge, County Clerk, Sheriff, Tax Assessor-Collector, County Treasurer, and various precinct-level positions such as County Commissioners for the precincts with expiring terms and Justices of the Peace. Depending on timing, voters may also see school board positions for Centerville ISD and other districts on the ballot, though school elections are typically held in May. Texas does not have citizen initiative or referendum at the state level, but local ballot measures may appear if the city or county governments place propositions before voters. Texas has restrictive absentee voting laws compared to many states; mail-in voting is only available to voters who are 65 or older, disabled, out of the county during the election period including early voting, or confined in jail but otherwise eligible. Voters requesting mail ballots must submit an Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) to the Leon County Elections Administrator; applications must be received (not postmarked) by the 11th day before Election Day. Mail ballot applications are available at www.texas.gov or from the Leon County Clerk's office. Voted ballots must be returned by mail (postmarked by Election Day and received by 5:00 PM the day after Election Day) or delivered in person to the Leon County Clerk's office by 7:00 PM on Election Day. Texas does not allow ballot drop boxes or third-party ballot collection. Most Texas voters cast ballots in person during the early voting period or on Election Day. Voters must present one of seven acceptable forms of photo identification under Texas Election Code Section 63.0101, including Texas driver's license, Texas election identification certificate, Texas personal identification card, U.S. Military ID card, U.S. Citizenship certificate with photo, U.S. Passport, or license to carry handgun. Voters without acceptable photo ID may sign a declaration and present supporting documentation such as utility bills or bank statements.