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Can you vote with a felony in Texas?

The short answer

After the sentence.

In Texas, a felony takes away the right to vote through prison, parole and probation. It comes back once the whole sentence is complete.

In Texas, a person finally convicted of a felony can't vote until they have fully discharged the sentence, including any prison time, parole or supervision, or completed a period of probation, or until they are pardoned. Deferred adjudication is not a final conviction for this rule. A felony conviction cancels a voter registration, so the person has to register again.1,3,4,5

Checked October 22, 2026 against 7 sources, starting with Texas law, then by a second reader.

  1. In prison for a felonyCan't vote1
  2. On paroleCan't vote1,3,4
  3. On probationCan't vote1,3,4
  4. Sentence completeCan vote after registering again1,2,5
Check with Texas's election office

Before you register

Your state or county election office can confirm your own status, for free. Voting while ineligible can carry criminal penalties, so if anything about your case is unclear, ask them first. The general election is November 3, 2026; registration deadlines are on vote.gov.

How the right comes back

Automatically

Under Tex. Elec. Code § 11.002(a)(4), a person finally convicted of a felony becomes a qualified voter again once they have "fully discharged the person's sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court", or have been "pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote." No application is needed. The county voter registrar cancels a registration when it receives an abstract of a felony conviction (§ 16.031(a)(3)), so the person must submit a new voter registration application.1,2,5

Fines, fees and restitution

Not confirmed

The Election Code (§ 11.002(a)(4)) and the Secretary of State's pages tie eligibility to fully discharging the sentence or completing probation and say nothing about payments. The probation statute has the judge discharge a person "on the satisfactory fulfillment of the conditions of community supervision and the expiration of the period" (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 42A.701(e)), but no official source opened says whether unpaid fines, fees or restitution by themselves keep a sentence from being discharged for voting purposes.

Registering again

Yes

Once the right is back, Texas requires a new voter registration before voting.2

Misdemeanors and jail

Only a final felony conviction affects eligibility under Tex. Elec. Code § 11.002(a)(4); a misdemeanor conviction does not.1

Eligibility is lost only on a final felony conviction, and a person whose case is deferred without an adjudication of guilt is not considered finally convicted (§ 11.002(b)). VoteTexas lists being "confined in jail" as one of the reasons a registered voter may request a ballot by mail.1,5

Convictions from another state or federal court

Section 11.002 refers to a final felony conviction without limiting it to Texas courts, and counts probation "ordered by any court." The Secretary of State's pages opened do not separately address federal or out-of-state convictions.1

The law

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This page explains Texas's general rules from its law and election office. It isn't legal advice, and a case can turn on the details of a sentence. The election office can confirm your status.

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Cite this page

Second Chance Index, "Can you vote with a felony in Texas?" https://secondchanceindex.com/voting-rights/texas, checked October 22, 2026.

Sources

Each source was opened and checked on October 22, 2026.

  1. Tex. Elec. Code § 11.002(a)(4), (b)
  2. Tex. Elec. Code § 16.031(a)(3)
  3. Request for Voter Registration ApplicationsTexas Secretary of State
  4. Eligibility for RegistrationTexas Secretary of State (VoteTexas.gov)
  5. Frequently Asked Questions (Convicted Felons and Voting; ballot by mail)Texas Secretary of State (VoteTexas.gov)
  6. Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 42A, Art. 42A.701 (Reduction or termination of community supervision period; discharge)Texas Legislature
  7. November 3, 2026 General Election (election information page)Texas Secretary of State