Groves, Texas Public Records

Texas residents can register to vote online at www.votetexas.gov, by picking up an application at libraries, post offices, or the Jefferson County elections office, or by mail. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, Texas residents, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not a convicted felon (unless sentence completed including parole/probation) or declared mentally incapacitated by a court. Registration applications must be postmarked or submitted 30 days before an election to qualify for voting in that election. Acceptable identification includes a Texas driver's license, Texas ID card, U.S. Passport, military ID, or other approved forms listed in Texas Election Code Section 63.0101. As an incorporated city, Groves holds its own municipal elections for Mayor and five Council members (Places 1-5). City elections typically occur on the uniform election date in November of odd-numbered years, with the next scheduled for November 4, 2025. Council terms run two years. Candidate filing for city offices happens in the summer before the November election, with applications submitted to the Groves City Secretary at City Hall, 5502 Main Avenue. Local ballot measures, bond propositions, and charter amendments may also appear on municipal ballots. Information on city candidates and local propositions is available through the City Secretary's office (409-962-1145) and posted at City Hall. Residents can locate their assigned polling locations using the Jefferson County Elections Department's polling place lookup tool at www.co.jefferson.tx.us/elections or by calling 409-839-2391. Polling locations are assigned based on voter registration address and precinct. Early voting for all elections is available at multiple locations throughout Jefferson County, typically for two weeks preceding Election Day (three weeks for general elections). The Elections Administration office at 1001 Pearl Street is an early voting location for all elections. On Election Day, voters must cast ballots at their assigned precinct polling place. Texas public information law makes numerous election records available to the public. Voter registration lists can be purchased from the Jefferson County elections office or obtained from the Texas Secretary of State, though commercial use is prohibited. Campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees are public records maintained by the Texas Ethics Commission (for state-level candidates) and viewable at www.ethics.state.tx.us, or by the City Secretary for municipal candidates. Candidate applications, ballot language, precinct-by-precinct election results, and certified election totals are all public records available through the Jefferson County Elections Department. Groves precincts generally reflected county-wide participation rates. At the federal level, Texas will elect a U.S.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for Groves voters are published by the Texas Secretary of State Elections Division (https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/).S. House seats including Texas Congressional District 36, which includes the city. Texas law permits absentee voting by mail for 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. Applications for mail ballots must be submitted to the Jefferson County Elections Administrator and received (not postmarked) by the 11th day before Election Day. Applications can be downloaded from the Jefferson County website or requested by phone. Completed ballots must be returned by 7:00 PM on Election Day, either by mail (postmarked by Election Day) or hand-delivered to the elections office. Texas does not offer "no excuse" absentee voting; voters not meeting the specific categories must vote in person during early voting or on Election Day.