Sumner, Texas Public Records

The office website at www.lamar.texas.gov/departments/elections provides election dates, sample ballots, polling locations, early voting schedules, and election results. Texas residents including those in Sumner can register to vote online through the Texas Secretary of State at www.votetexas.gov, though the online system only allows completion of the application form which must then be printed, signed, and mailed to the Lamar County Elections Administrator. Printed applications are also available at the Elections office, public libraries, and most government offices. Voter registration applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered at least 30 days before an election to be valid for that election. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, Texas residents, at least 18 years old (or will be by election day), not finally convicted of a felony (or if convicted, have completed sentence including parole/probation), and not declared mentally incapacitated by a court. Acceptable identification includes Texas driver's license or ID card number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Sumner has no municipal government and therefore no city elections. Residents vote only in Lamar County, state, and federal elections. County-level elections include positions such as County Judge, County Commissioners (by precinct), Sheriff, County Clerk, District Clerk, Tax Assessor-Collector, Constables (by precinct), and Justices of the Peace (by precinct). Local voters participate in their assigned Commissioner and Justice of the Peace precinct elections. State legislative districts covering the area include a Texas House district and a Texas Senate district based on population boundaries redrawn after each census. To find their assigned polling place, residents should use the Texas Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at www.votetexas.gov or contact the Lamar County Elections Administrator at (903) 737-2432. Polling locations are assigned based on voter registration address and precinct boundaries. Texas offers early voting beginning 17 days before election day and ending 4 days before election day at designated locations, typically including the Elections office in Paris and potentially satellite locations in larger communities. Election day voting occurs at assigned precinct polling places. Texas public information law makes certain election records publicly available. Voter registration lists are available to candidates, political parties, and the public upon request, though they cannot be used for commercial purposes. The list includes names, addresses, voter registration dates, and voting history (which elections the person voted in, but not how they voted). Campaign finance reports for local, county, and judicial candidates are filed with the county and available for public inspection at the Lamar County Clerk's office. State and federal campaign finance reports are available through the Texas Ethics Commission (www.ethics.state.tx.us). Candidate filings, ballot measure petitions, and precinct-level election results are all public records available through the Elections Administrator. The county historically trends conservative Republican in most elections. Voters should check with the Elections Administrator in late 2025 and throughout 2026 for confirmed candidate lists and ballot measure details. Texas requires excuse-based absentee voting, now called "voting by mail." Qualified voters include those 65 years or older, those who will be absent from the county during the early voting period and on election day, those confined in jail but otherwise eligible, and those who are sick or disabled. Applications for mail ballots must be received (not just postmarked) by the Elections Administrator by the close of business 11 days before election day. Applications are available at www.lamar.texas.gov/departments/elections or by calling (903) 737-2432. Completed ballots must be postmarked by election day and received by the next business day, or hand-delivered to the Elections office by 7:00 PM on election day. Texas does not have universal vote-by-mail and requires one of the statutory excuses.