HOUSTON — You may not know it, but the fourth Tuesday of every September is a holiday. It's definitely not as well known as Christmas or Thanksgiving, but it's still pretty important.
It's called National Voter Registration Day, and it's been observed in the U.S. since 2012. And this year that big day is Tuesday, September 22.
It's a massive cross country nonpartisan effort to register voters ahead of Election Day. Nearly 3 million voters have registered to vote on this single day the last 6 years.
But this week in Houston, Tropical Storm Beta had different plans.
"Hopefully they're having better weather than we are in the Houston area," said Dr. Annie Johnson Benifield, the Vice President of Voter Services with the League of Women Voters in Houston.
The League of Women Voters in Houston had to reschedule the more than 20 drive-thru voter registration drives scheduled for Tuesday. Now that's happening this Friday, September 25 instead.
"It's really daunting to see voter registration is significantly down," said Benifield.
You can blame COVID-19 for that. Data suggests earlier this summer voter registration was down 24 percent in Texas compared to 2016.
"Without having those venues, we've been limited and restricted," said Benifield.
So organizers hope once Beta moves out, this will be the week they make up ground.
The Houston Rockets rescheduled their voter registration drive for Friday too. Toyota Center will be just 1 of more than 20 options for Houstonians to register to vote later this week.
But here's the most important deadline you need to remember: October 5 is just 2 weeks away and it's the last day you have to register to vote in Texas.
Drive-thru Voter Registration Locations for Friday, September 25:
1) Aldine Branch Library (7am to 7pm)
11331 Airline Drive, Houston, TX 77037
2) Bellaire City Hall (5pm to 7:30pm)
10425 Hillcroft St. Houston, TX 77096
3) Denver Harbor Park (7am to 7pm)
6402 Market St., Houston, TX 77020
4) Goodwill 290 Store (7am to 7pm)
10903 NW Fwy, Houston TX 77092
5) Goodwill Champions Store (7am to 7pm)
4415 FM 1960 RD W. Houston TX 77068
6) Goodwill Gessner-Outlet Store (7am to 7pm)
8225 S Gessner Rd, Houston TX 77036
7) Goodwill Katy Ranch Store (7am to 7pm)
24413 Katy Fwy, Katy TX 77494
8) Goodwill Longpoint Outlet Store (7am to 7pm)
7960 Long Point Rd, Houston TX 77055
9) Goodwill Sabo Outlet Store (7am to 7pm)
10998-A Fuqua St., Houston TX 77089
10) High Meadows Library (7am to 7pm)
4500 Aldine Mail Rte Rd, Houston, TX 77039
11) LeRoy Crump Stadium (7am to 7pm)
12321 High Star Dr, Houston, TX 77072
12) Mason Park (7am to 7pm)
541 South 75th Street, Houston, TX 77023
13) Moody Park (7am to 7pm)
3725 Fulton, Houston, TX 77009
14) St. Arnold Brewery (10am to 9pm)
2000 Lyons Avenue, Houston, TX 77020
15) Shepard-Acre Homes Neighborhood Library (7am to 7pm)
8501 W. Montgomery Road, Houston, TX 77088
16) Sunnyside Community Center (7am to 7pm)
3502 Bellfort Ave, Houston, TX 77051
17) Tidwell Park (7am to 7pm)
9500 Spaulding, Houston, TX 77016
18) Westbury Baptist Church (7am to 8pm)
10425 Hillcroft St. Houston, TX 77096
19) Westbury United Methodist Church (7am to 7pm)
5200 Willowbend Blvd, Houston, TX 77096
20) Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church (7am to 7pm)
3826 Wheeler Ave
21) Harris County Public Library - Northwest Branch (10am to 4pm)
11355 Regency Green Dr. Cypress, Texas 77429
22) Harris County Public Library - Katherine Tyra Branch (10am to 4pm)
16719 Clay Rd. Houston, TX 77084
23) Harris County Public Library - Fairbanks Branch (10am to 4pm)
7122 Gessner Rd. Houston, TX 77040
24) Toyota Center (Houston Rockets Voter Registration Drive, 11 am to 2pm)