08/29/2024
What dates do I need to know?
Oct. 7 is the last day to register to vote and to submit an address change for the general election.
You can report an address or name change online. You should do this if you’ve moved since the last time you voted, especially if you have moved to a different county or political subdivision or have legally taken a different name.
How do I check if I’m registered to vote?
You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website.
https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do
You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in:
Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth.
Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in.
Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.
Read more about voter registration requirements further down in this story.
Who can register to vote by mail?
Texans who meet one of the following requirements can request to vote by mail:
You will be 65 years or older by Election Day.
You cite a sickness or disability that prevents you from voting in person without needing personal assistance or without the likelihood of injuring your health.
You will not be in your county for the entire election period, including early voting.
You are expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
You are confined in jail but otherwise eligible (i.e., not convicted of a felony).
Note that the Texas Election Code’s definition of disability is broader than other federal definitions. It’s up to the voter to decide whether they have an illness or physical condition that prevents them from voting in person without assistance, and election officials don’t have the authority to question a voter’s reasoning.
College students registered at a residence in Texas, such as a parent’s home, but studying out of state can apply for absentee ballots, but they must request a mail-in ballot ahead of every election for which they will be absent from the state. Students from other states who are studying in Texas can also choose to register to vote in Texas using their dorm or Texas address.
If you are voting absentee, such as from out of state or overseas, and want to see what will appear on your ballot, you can get a sample ballot from your county. In most cases, sample ballots can be found on your county’s election website, and you can request your ballot on the Federal Voting Assistance Program website.
What identification do I need to vote by mail?
To vote by mail, you must provide one of the following numbers on your ballot by mail application and your mail ballot carrier envelope.
A driver’s license number
A Texas personal identification number
Texas election ID certificate number (issued by DPS; different from the number found on your voter registration certificate)
The last four digits of your Social Security number
Voters who don’t have any of those can also check a box indicating they have not been issued qualifying identification. The requirement for voters to provide an ID number was added by the Texas Legislature in 2021, and some voters have since had their ballots or applications rejected because they didn’t provide an ID number or the number they provided did not match the one the state had for the voter. The League of Women Voters of Texas told The Texas Tribune that it’s best to note your preferred identification and the last four digits of your social security number on the application to ensure ease of application processing.
How do you apply for mail-in voting?
To request an application to vote by mail, call your local or county office holding the election or fill out this form on the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You can also download the English or Spanish language application. You can submit the application by mail, fax or email to your Early Voting Clerk. If you email or fax your application, you must also send the original hard copy of your application to the Early Voting Clerk. The clerk must receive the hard copy no later than the fourth business day after the application deadline if you email or fax it.
If you are voting early due to an expected absence, you may apply by mail or in person before the early voting period for that election begins; this year, the early voting period for the general election starts Oct. 21.Early Voting Clerks in each county are responsible for obtaining your Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM) and your mail-in ballot. Remember to address your application to the Early Voting Clerk and ensure your signature is on the outside of the ballot. Applications mailed to an address other than the early voting clerk may be rejected. You can send your application as early as 60 days before the election, and it is best to do it as soon as possible. Vote-by-mail ballots are sent out between 30 and 45 days before an election or seven days after the county election office receives an application.
What deadlines should I be aware of?
The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 25, and the application must be received by that date — not just postmarked by that date.
The deadline for mail-in ballots to be returned to a county is Election Day, Nov. 5. If a ballot is postmarked by 7 p.m. locally that day, it’ll be counted if the county receives it by 5 p.m. on Nov. 6.
Can I track my ballot?
The Texas Secretary of State has a Ballot by Mail Tracker available online. If you are worried about your ballot or have issues with the tracker, you can call your county election official to inquire. If you don’t receive your ballot in time or run into issues, there may be other options for you to vote in person through a provisional ballot, curbside voting or an emergency ballot. Read more about these options below.
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