Westminster, Texas Public Records

Texas residents can register to vote online through the Texas Secretary of State at www.votetexas.gov, or by submitting a completed voter registration application to the Collin County Elections Department. Applications are available from the Collin County elections office, libraries, or as downloads online. Registration applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered at least 30 days before an election. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, Texas residents, at least 18 years old by election day, and not finally convicted of a felony, or if convicted, have fully completed their sentence including probation and parole. Acceptable identification at the polls includes a Texas driver's license, Texas election identification certificate, Texas personal ID card, Texas handgun license, U.S. Passport, military ID card, or U.S. Citizenship certificate with photo. Since Westminster is unincorporated without municipal government, residents don't vote in city elections but participate fully in Collin County, state, and federal races. Voters elect Collin County Commissioners from four single-member precincts, along with the County Judge, Sheriff, County Clerk, District Clerk, County Attorney, Tax Assessor-Collector, Constables, and Justices of the Peace. State legislative representation includes Texas House and Texas Senate districts, with boundaries depending on specific location within Collin County. Polling place assignments vary by precinct; voters can locate their specific polling location by entering their address at the Collin County Elections website or calling (972) 424-1460. Early voting is conducted at multiple locations throughout Collin County, typically beginning 17 days before election day and ending four days before. Texas maintains restrictive absentee voting laws; mail-in ballots are available only to voters 65 or older, those who will be absent from the county during the entire early voting period and on election day, those confined in jail but eligible to vote, or voters with disabilities or illnesses that prevent in-person voting. Applications for mail-in ballots must be received, not just postmarked, by the Collin County Early Voting Clerk by the close of business on the 11th day before election day. Applications are available at www.collincountytx.gov/elections. Public election records available to Westminster residents include voter registration lists, available for purchase for political purposes under Texas Election Code Section 18.066, campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees and searchable at www.ethics.state.tx.us, candidate applications and petitions, precinct-level election results published after each election at the Collin County elections website, and early voting statistics. The Texas Secretary of State maintains statewide election data at www.sos.texas.gov/elections. Residents seeking to run for county office file applications with the Collin County elections administrator or party chairs depending on primary versus general election candidacy.