Voting Guide

By Mail: Texas requires an excuse to vote by mail. You are eligible to vote by mail if you (1) will be away from your county on Election Day and during the in-person early voting period, (2) are sick or have a disability, (3) are at least 65 years old on Election Day, (4) expect to give birth within 3 weeks before or after Election Day, (5) are civilly committed, or (6) are confined in jail and not serving a sentence for a felony conviction. You may access a printable mail-in ballot application here.

• Application for Absentee Ballot Deadline: All applications must be received by the county clerk no later than the 11th day before election day by the close of regular business or noon, whichever is later. If the 11th day is a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the first preceding business day. You may submit applications by mail, email, or fax; however, if emailed or faxed, then the original hard copy of the application MUST be mailed and received by the early voting clerk no later than the 4th business day after the clerk received the fax or email.

• Completed Absentee Ballot Return Deadline: Completed absentee ballots may be returned in person or by mail. Those returned in person must be taken to the early voting clerk’s office while polls are open on Election Day. You will be required to show an acceptable voter ID if returning your ballot in person. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked  by 7:00pm on Election Day and received no later than 5:00pm the day after Election Day.

The absentee ballot application requires the voter to provide a DPS-issued driver’s license number, personal identification number, or Election Identification Certificate Number, or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number. Voters without one of these numbers must check the provided box to indicate that they lack such identification. In an abundance of caution, voters with both a DPS-issued identification number and a Social Security number should provide both numbers on the application form.

For more information about Texas’s vote-by-mail rules, visit: votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail

Early In-person: Voters in Texas may vote early in person generally starting the 17th day before Election Day (if that is a weekend, early voting starts on the next business day). The early voting period ends the 4th day before Election Day. Different start dates apply for certain elections. Contact your county’s election official for early voting locations and hours.

Election Day: Voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by close of polls, then you have the right to vote.

Curbside Voting: Under Texas law, curbside voting is available upon request during the early voting period and on Election Day for voters who are physically unable to enter the polling place without assistance or likelihood of injury to their health. The Secretary of State’s office recommends that voters who plan to vote curbside call their county election officials in advance.