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Pinkie Powell shows off her "I Voted" sticker after casting her ballot at the Bayland Community Center during the first day of early voting in Houston on Oct. 13, 2020. Powell says she didnít mind the hour way in line because "it's time for my voice to be heard."
Pinkie Powell shows off her "I Voted" sticker after casting her ballot at the Bayland Community Center during the first day of early voting in Houston. Powell says she didn't mind the hour wait to vote because, "It's time for my voice to be heard." Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
Texas 2020 Elections

Here's what early voting in Texas looks like during an election unlike any other

Extended by a week because of the pandemic, early voting has been marked by extraordinary turnout, long, socially distanced lines and masked voters. Our photographers have fanned out across the state to capture Texans as they cast their ballots.

By Texas Tribune Photo Team
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It’s safe to say there’s never been an election season like this one. Interest in voting is sky high in Texas, and early voters, given an extra week to cast their ballots, have turned out in force during a pandemic that finds most Texans socially-distanced and masked as they wait their turn. Many others have voted from their cars, mailed in or dropped off their mail-in ballots even as legal battles over these methods played out.

Since the first day of early voting on Oct. 13, Texas Tribune photographers have ventured out all over the state, capturing people waiting to have their say. If you haven’t voted yet, there’s still time — early voting ends Oct. 30, and Election Day is Nov. 3. If you have questions about voting, the Tribune is here to help, and if you encounter any problems while voting, we want to hear from you.

Voters wrap around the front of the Bayland Community Center before entering to cast their ballots during the first day of early voting in Houston on Oct. 13, 2020.
Voters wrap around the front of the Bayland Community Center before entering to cast their ballots during early voting in Houston. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots on day one of early voting in at the Sunland Park Mall indoor voting site in El Paso on Oct. 13, 2020.
Cars line up on the first day of early voting in El Paso at the Sunland Park Mall drive-thru voting site on Oct. 13, 2020.
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots on day one of early voting at the Sunland Park Mall in El Paso. Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune
Voters wait in line to cast their ballot at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park polling site in Dripping Springs.
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park polling site in Dripping Springs on Oct. 19, 2020. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
Voters wait in line at a polling site at Austin Oaks Church on Oct. 14, 2020.
A voter casts their ballot at a polling site at the Austin Oaks Church on Oct. 14, 2020.
Voters wait in line at a polling site at Austin Oaks Church on the second day of early voting in the state. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Bexar County residents stand in the early morning rain outside the Julia Yates Semmes Library on Oct. 20, 2020. The library was one of 48 polling locations within the county, however, compared to other major cities, there was no indication of the wait times given to voters to plan for the shortest line.
Wonderland Mall is one of several polling locations in Bexar County. Oct. 20, 2020.
First: Bexar County voters stand in the early morning rain outside the Julia Yates Semmes Library in San Antonio to cast their ballots on Oct. 20, 2020. Last: Wonderland of the Americas Mall is one of several polling locations in Bexar County. Credit: B. Kay Richter for The Texas Tribune
A polling location in the Performing Arts Center at Texas State University in San Marcos.
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
Curbside early voting at Brownsville's Main Branch Library.
A poll worker stands outside of an early voting curbside location at Brownsville's Main Branch Library on Oct. 21, 2020. Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune
Manor resident Debra Bowser casted her ballot early at the Manor ISD Administration building on Oct 14, 2020.
Voters lined up for hours to cast their ballots early at the Manor ISD Administration building on Oct 14, 2020.
First: Voters cast their ballots during the second day of early voting at Taylor City Hall. Last: Voters wait for hours to cast their ballots at the Manor ISD administration building. Credit: Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribune
A woman shows her "I Voted" sticker at Audelia Road Branch Library on the first day of early voting in Dallas on Oct. 13, 2020.
A voter shows her "I Voted" sticker at Audelia Road Branch Library during early voting in Dallas. Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune
Voters wait in line in an empty field to cast their ballot at the South Austin Recreation Center on the first day of early voting in Texas on Oct. 13, 2020.
Voters wait in line in an empty field to cast their ballot at the South Austin Recreation Center on the first day of early voting in Texas. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune

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