The Hidalgo County Elections Department handles all voting matters for Weslaco residents, operating from its office at 1101 South 23rd Street, Edinburg, TX 78539 (phone: 956-318-2570, website: www.hidalgocounty.us/elections). This office administers every level of election, federal, state, county, and local, managing voter registration, early voting sites, election day operations, and official ballot counting. The Elections Administrator keeps voter rolls current, processes registration applications, handles mail ballot requests, and certifies results throughout Hidalgo County.
Residents can register to vote online through the Texas Secretary of State website at www.texas.gov/living-in-texas/vote or by completing a paper application available at libraries, post offices, and government offices. Eligibility requires U.S. Citizenship, Texas residency, age 18 by election day, and no final felony conviction unless the sentence including probation or parole has been completed. Registration must be submitted at least 30 days before any election. Acceptable voter ID includes a Texas driver's license, Texas personal ID card, Texas election ID certificate, Texas concealed handgun license, U.S. Passport, military ID card, or U.S. Citizenship certificate with photo. Those without acceptable photo ID may present supporting documents and sign a reasonable impediment declaration. City elections in Weslaco take place in May of even-numbered years for mayor and city council positions. The city council consists of the mayor plus six council members representing different districts. May 2026 will bring the next municipal elections, when voters select the mayor and council members whose terms are expiring. The City Secretary's office at 255 South Kansas Avenue (phone: 956-968-3181) and www.weslaco.com provide information about candidates, ballot measures, and local election dates. Finding your polling place is straightforward using the Hidalgo County Elections Department's online locator at www.hidalgocounty.us/elections or by calling 956-318-2570. Early voting runs for two weeks before election day at multiple county locations, typically including a site in the city for major elections. The Elections Department announces early voting locations roughly 30 days before each contest. Texas Election Code provisions make election records extensively public. Voter registration lists showing names, addresses, voting history (whether someone voted, not their choices), and registration dates are public and frequently purchased by campaigns and researchers. Campaign finance reports for local, county, and state candidates must be filed with the Texas Ethics Commission (www.ethics.state.tx.us) and are searchable online. Candidate applications and filings are public through the relevant filing authority, the Hidalgo County elections office for local races, the Secretary of State for statewide contests. Precinct-level results are published after each election and archived on the Elections Department website. The county has historically leaned Democratic but has seen increased Republican support in recent cycles, drawing statewide political attention. Texas will not have a U.S.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for Weslaco voters are published by the Texas Secretary of State Elections Division (https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/). All 150 Texas House seats and approximately half of the 31 Texas Senate seats will be contested, including representation for the city in both chambers. Locally, county voters will elect the County Judge, four County Commissioners, County Clerk, District Clerk, Sheriff, Tax Assessor-Collector, County Treasurer, district judges, and county court-at-law judges. The city may also have charter amendments or bond propositions if the city council refers them. Primary elections will be held in March 2026 to select party nominees. Texas maintains restrictive mail ballot (absentee voting) laws compared to many states. Mail ballots are available only to voters who are 65 or older, disabled, out of the county during the entire early voting period and election day, or confined in jail. Applications must be submitted to the Hidalgo County Elections Department and received no later than 11 days before election day. Completed ballots must be received (not just postmarked) by 7:00 PM on election day to count. Texas does not have no-excuse absentee voting or permanent mail ballot lists.