How to request a vote-by-mail ballot in Texas

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Monday, August 31, 2020
How to request a vote-by-mail ballot in Texas
Worried about mailing in your 2020 election ballots? Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said you can drop it off at 11 locations around town anytime until Election Day.

The deadline is approaching for eligible Texans to request a mail-in ballot for this November's election.

In order to be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must fit into at least one of the following categories:

  • 65 years or older
  • Disabled
  • Out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance
  • Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible

Registered Texas voters must submit applications for ballot by mail. You can either print the application at home, or request one to be mailed to you.

RELATED: Harris Co. clerk responds to mail-in-ballot warning from USPS

If you printed the application, after filling it out you must place it in your own envelope and add postage.

If you ordered the application online and it was mailed to you, the application itself doubles as an envelope. Fold the application in half, moisten the top tab, seal and add postage.

The application must be addressed to your local election office.

Other ways to submit your application include faxing it to your local election office or submitting a scanned copy of the completed application to the Early Voting Clerk via email.

You can find a list of Texas county offices and their addresses, email addresses and fax numbers at sos.texas.gov.

SEE ALSO: Toyota Center becomes voting center for 2020 presidential election

If an application is faxed or emailed, the original, hard copy of the application must also be mailed and received by the early voting clerk no later than the fourth business day.

The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Friday, Oct. 23, 2020.

When your ballot arrives, follow the given instructions to complete it and return it.

The deadline to return your ballot is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and it must be postmarked by 7 p.m. They'll be counted if they come in the next day by 5 p.m.

FIND NEARBY MAIL-IN BALLOT DROP BOXES: