San Marcos, Texas Public Records

Texas residents can register online at www.texas.gov or www.votetexas.gov, or submit applications by mail or in person at the Elections Office, any county voter registrar office, Texas Department of Public Safety office, or participating government agencies. Registration must be complete at least 30 days before an election. Acceptable photo identification includes Texas driver's license, Texas election identification certificate, Texas personal identification card, Texas handgun license, U.S. Military ID, U.S. Passport, or U.S. Citizenship certificate with photo. Municipal elections in the city follow uniform election dates, typically the first Saturday in May of odd-numbered years, to choose the Mayor (at-large, two-year term) and City Council members (six single-member districts, three-year staggered terms). The next municipal election is scheduled for May 3, 2025, with council seats from Districts 2, 4, and 6 up for election. Candidate filing information and local ballot measures appear on the City Secretary's page at www.sanmarcostx.gov/citysec and through the Elections Office. Voters can locate their assigned polling place using the Texas Secretary of State's "My Voter Portal" at www.texas.gov/myvote by entering name, county, date of birth, and address - the system displays registration status, assigned precinct, polling place address with map, and sample ballots for upcoming elections. Early voting locations for Hays County elections typically include the Hays County Government Center, San Marcos Public Library, and additional sites announced before each election, with voting running approximately two weeks before election day including evening and weekend hours. In the November 2024 presidential election, Hays County reported approximately 61% voter turnout with over 145,000 ballots cast from roughly 238,000 registered voters, while local precincts showed strong participation reflecting the university community's engagement. For the November 3, 2026 general election, residents will decide several significant races: the Texas gubernatorial election (Governor Greg Abbott's term expires in 2027), statewide executive offices including Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and other constitutional offices, all 38 Texas Senate seats (including Senate District 25 which includes the city), all 150 Texas House seats (including District 45 covering the area), one U.S. Senate seat (John Cornyn's seat is up in 2026), and all U.S. House districts including Texas's 35th Congressional District. County-level races will include Hays County Judge, County Commissioners for precincts on the ballot cycle, County Clerk, District Clerk, Sheriff, Tax Assessor-Collector, Constables, and Justices of the Peace. Local ballot measures, school board trustee positions for San Marcos CISD, and any special district elections may also appear on the 2026 ballot. Absentee voting in Texas is restricted by state law - mail-in ballots are available only to voters who are 65 years or older, sick or disabled, out of the county during the entire early voting period and election day, or confined in jail but eligible to vote. Mail-in ballot applications must be submitted to the Hays County Elections Administrator, received (not postmarked) by the 11th day before election day, with completed ballots received (not postmarked) by 7:00 PM on election day. Public election records in Texas include voter registration rolls (available through county elections offices or Secretary of State), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees (searchable at www.ethics.state.tx.us), candidate applications and filings (available at county elections offices), and detailed precinct-level election results (posted by the Elections Office at www.hayscountytx.com/elections after certification). The Texas Public Information Act allows access to these records with limited exemptions for personal information like birth dates and Social Security numbers.