First, the November 3 election is right around the corner. Don’t let it sneak up on you. Texans, be sure to mark these important dates in your calendars:

• September 22 (today!): National Voter Registration Day
• October 5: Deadline to register to vote
• October 13: First day of early voting
• October 19: Educator Voting Day
• October 23: Last day that a vote-by-mail application can be received (not postmarked)
• October 30: Last day of early voting
• November 3: Election Day! Mail-in ballots also must be received by this date.

Visit votetexas.gov to check your voter registration status, download a ballot-by-mail application, find your polling location, and more. Do you have questions about voting by mail? Check out the “So, You’re Thinking about Voting by Mail” article on our Teach the Vote advocacy blog. Below are a few more resources for Texas voters:

• Have your students participate in Democracy Powered by You(th). Whether your students are eligible to vote or not, they can still lend their voice to the upcoming election and make a difference. Check out the first-ever Democracy Powered by You(th) voter registration competition, a multi-organization effort to build a coalition of youth voters.
• Read our advocacy blog. For in-depth coverage of the upcoming election, including updates on key races and issues, read our advocacy blog at teachthevote.org/news.
• Know your candidates. Information is power! Check teachthevote.org/races to learn more about the candidates and see how your state legislators voted on education issues.
• Follow us on Twitter. For breaking news and advocacy insights, keep up with our lobby team on Twitter @TeachTheVote.
• Check out TexasEducatorsVote.com. This website from our nonpartisan, educator-focused coalition offers a plethora of additional resources on participating in elections.
• Prepare your ballot ahead of time. Use vote411.org to make a sample ballot to print out and take with you to the polls.

Don’t forget to share these dates and resources with your colleagues and friends. Only by coming together and acting as one voice can we truly advocate for public education! Make a plan, and vote for your public schools, your students, and your profession.