Karnes County Texas

Voting Priority: A voter with a mobility problem that substantially impairs the voter's ability to ambulate, and the voter agrees to be given voting order priority, the Election Officer will move you to the front of the line for check-in and voting.  A Voting Priority sign is posted at the entrance to the voting place.  

Curbside Voting: Curbside Voting is available for voters who are physically unable to enter the polling place without personal assistance or likelihood of injuring the voter's health.  A designated reserved parking spot is marked with a Curbside Voting sign.  A voter may call 830-780-2246 and let us know which location you are ready to vote at and what type of car you are driving.  We will let the Presiding Judge know you are waiting to vote curbside.  Two election officials will perform the curbside voting election duties and will be in possession of the voter's ballot at all times.  A voter may request that someone they designate to watch the election officials scan the voter's ballot.  

Equipment:  Karnes County uses Hart Verity's voting equipment.  The intuitive touchscreen delivers easy-to-use plain language interfaces.  A full suite of accessibility features ensures all voters can vote privately and independently.  Use of the KNOWiNk poll pads, provides the voter a seamless electronic check-in and verification process that alleviates long lines at the polling sites.  If a voter who is unable to sign their name on the poll pad, the election officer shall enter the voter's name with a notation of the reason for the voter's inability to sign.  

Assistant: A voter who is eligible to receive assistance is entitled to be assisted by a person of the voter's choice or to be assisted by two election officers.  

Interpreter:  Voters who cannot speak English, or who communicate only with sign language, may use an interpreter of their choice to help them communicate with election officials.

Witness:  If a voter is required to sign a document and cannot do so because of a physical disability or illiteracy, the document may be signed for the person by a witness.  When a witness signs on behalf of a voter, the person who cannot sign must affix the person's mark to the document, which the witness must attest to.  If the person cannot make a mark, then the witness must state that fact on the document.  

Accessible Polling Place:  Karnes County Elections makes every effort to make sure each polling place and early voting location is accessible to an usable by the elderly and individuals with disabilities.  Should you or someone you know encounter any location that is not accessible, please notify the Elections Administration Office immediately at 830-780-2246.

VOTING EQUIPMENT:

KARNES COUNTY PURCHASED THE HART VOTING EQUIPMENT THAT USES A PAPER BALLOT VOTING SYSTEM AND HAS BEEN USING IT SINCE THE MAY 2023 ELECTION. 

Karnes County selected HART Intercivic as the vendor for the new voting system.  This system provides a verifiable auditable paper trail system.  Verity Duo Standalone is a ballot marking device that provides the voter verification of the choices made on the device before printing out the ballot and also allows the voter to verify the choices made before the ballot is cast.  The Verity voting system ensures reliable audits of voter intent with digital capture of full ballot images of scanned ballots.  The scanner reads and records the same words the voter verified on the ballot thus ensuring voter verifiability.  This system also allows us to print the paper ballot on demand at each polling location for the voters that desire to hand mark their ballot.  
 

  HART VERITY VOTING EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION

ELECTION SECURITY:

Websites:
Hart Intercivic Security
Homeland Security - Elections Security
Texas Secretary of State - Election Security

 REPUBLICAN WEBSITE   DEMOCRATIC WEBSITE   LIBERTARIAN PARTY WEBSITE   GREEN PARTY WEBSITE

HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND GET AN APPLICATION:

To vote in Texas, you must be registered with your county.

Simply pick up a voter registration application, fill it out completely and legibly, and return it to the Voter Registration Office at least 30 days before the election date.  

You can register to vote online or update your voter registration HERE.

CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION:

To check if you’re already registered to vote in Texas, use the following link: Am I Registered? 

Election Judges are paid $16 an hour, Alternate Judges are paid $14 an hour and Clerks are paid $12 an hour.  Training is provided by the Karnes County Elections Administration and is required!

Qualifications

• Registered Voter                                                                              
• Resident of Jurisdiction (Precinct, ISD, City, etc)
• Not hold an elective public office
• Not be a candidate for public office on the same ballot
• Not be related by second degree to a candidate for public office on the same ballot
• Not be employed by a candidate for public office on the same ballot
• Not be a campaign treasurer or manager of a candidate of that election
• Not be finally convicted of an offense in connection with conduct directly attributable to an election
• Complete approved training

Appointment

• Democrat and Republican Parties each appoint judges and alternate for all county primary elections
• Commissioners' Court accepts appointments yearly during the month of August
• Appointments are for two years

Apply

• Print application and return it to our office at Karnes County Elections 210 West Calvert, Suite 140, Karnes City TX, 78118 or email: elections@co.karnes.tx.us

Online Poll worker Training 

• Online Training

Student Election Clerks 

What are the Responsibilities of a student Election Clerk?

Working under the supervision of the judge, student election clerks may assist with the following duties:

• Organizing the polling place before polls open
• Providing instructions and assistance to voter
• Answering voters' questions
• Explaining the use of the voting equipment 
• Work the hours assigned
• Help with Closing polling location after polls closed

What are the Required Qualifications of a Student Election Clerk? 

• Be at least 16 years old on Election Day
• Be enrolled in a public, private, or qualified home school
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Have written consent of his/her parents or legal guardian to work the election
• Have written consent of his/her principal ( or parent/ legal guardian for home-schooled students)
• Complete training program

How to Apply?

• Obtain Student Election Clerk Application and Permission Slip from School 
• Have your parent or guardian sign the Parent/Legal Guardian Permission Portion
• Have your school principal sign the School Principal Authorization portion. Also, take the proper steps to ensure that your absence from school on Election Day will be excused. 
• Send the application to the Elections administrator. Try to send application at least 60 days prior to Election Day ( even though there is no statutory deadline)

VOLUNTEER DEPUTY REGISTRARS

Helping Karnes County Citizens Register to Vote
 

Volunteer Deputy Registrars (VDRs) are entrusted with the responsibility of officially registering voters in Karnes County. They are appointed by county voter registrars and charged with helping increase voter registration in their county. Acceptance of the duties of volunteer deputy registrar places you in a position of trust and responsibility to the citizens you will register to vote.

VDRs 

• Are appointed by each county’s voter registrar;
• Distribute, assist in completion & review of voter registration applications;
• Accept completed voter registration application and provide receipts;
• Turn in completed applications in person to their county voter registrar office within 5 calendar days;
• VDRs serve for two-year terms expiring on December 31 of even-numbered years.

You may become a deputy registrar by attending any of our in person training classes. Upon completion of the training, you will be issued a certificate of appointment and all necessary supplies needed to register citizens.

Call the Karnes County Elections Administrator to schedule a time for the training at 830-780-2246.

VOTING BY MAIL

Absentee Ballot By Mail (ABBM) must be applied for each calendar year. You may call our office at 830-780-2246 to request a application to be mailed to you or click here for a printable version of it.

REASONS FOR VOTING BY MAIL

• 65 years of age or older
• Disability
• Expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
• Expected absence from the county during Early Voting thru Election Day
• Confinement in jail
  
  

Mail applications for ballot by mail to: TRACK YOUR BALLOT

Karnes County Elections Click HERE to track your mail ballot
210 W. Calvert, Ste. 140
Karnes City, TX 78118

*** Law regarding emailed and faxed ABBM

Section 84.007(b-1) provides that if an ABBM is faxed or emailed, then the applicant MUST submit the ORIGINAL APPLICATION BY MAIL to the early voting clerk so that the early voting clerk receives the original no later than the 4th business day after receiving the emailed or faxed ABBM.

If the early voting clerk DOES NOT receive the original ABBM in the office by the 4th business day deadline, then the emailed or faxed ABBM will be considered incomplete and rejected.  

FOR MILITARY/OVERSEAS VOTERS

FPCA

TRACK YOUR MAIL BALLOT

NOTE:

This section was created as a reference guide only and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice.

It is solely a guide for running for office and filing reports.

It is the candidate's and officeholder's responsibility to obtain the actual knowledge of the laws, regulations and duties.

FIRST STEPS

Please visit the Texas Ethics Commissions page for their Frequently Asked Questions

CANDIDATE FORMS

Application for a place on the Primary Ballot: Application
Appointment of a Campaign Treasurer by a Candidate: Form (Instruction Guide)
Campaign Finance Report: Form (Instruction Guide)

Code of Fair Campaign Practices: Form

CANDIDATE GUIDES

Political Advertising: Guide
Pollwatcher: Guide
Political Fundraising- Guide

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Rules for Posting Campaign Signs: Information
Prohibition Against Using Political Subdivision Resources for Political Advertising: Information

Texas Ethics Commission: Information

You can click on the item below to find out the information for Poll Watchers provided by the Secretary of State

Poll Watcher Guide - Secretary of State

Secretary of State Poll Watcher Training