Five Important Voter Rights Texans Should Know, Including Not Being Arrested

Early voting is underway here in The Lone Star State, with election day coming up fast. Stop me if you've heard this one before, did you know you can't be arrested on the way to vote in Texas?

Is that true or fake news?

Being a vote in Texas comes with several rights. Did you know that you have the right to receive up to two more ballots if you make a mistake while marking it? It's true.

As a registered voter in Texas, you have the right to:

• A ballot with written instructions on how to cast a ballot.
• Ask the polling place official for instructions on how to cast a ballot.
• Cast your vote in secret and free from intimidation.
• Receive up to two more ballots if you make a mistake while marking the ballot.
• Bring an interpreter to assist you as you qualify to vote if you do not understand the English language.
• Help to cast your ballot if you cannot write, see the ballot, or understand the language in which it is written.
• Report a possible voting rights abuse to the Secretary of State (1.800.252.8683) or to your local election official.
• Cast a provisional ballot if your name does not appear on the list of registered voters.

There are several more rights that we as Texans enjoy. You can find out more about them here. But can you be arrested while going to vote? Turns out you can not.

In Texas, you have the privilege against arrest on election day if you are going to vote, and this holds with just a few caveats.

“A voter may not be arrested during the voter's attendance at an election and while going to and returning from a polling place except for treason, a felony, or a breach of peace." Tex. Elec. Code § 276.005, Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. 1/1/1986. ” Tex. Elec. Code § 276.005

So you can't be locked up, for instance, for speeding to get to your polling place, but you can of course be ticketed. And remember that this doesn't apply to "breaches of peace or felonies."

Happy voting!