AUSTIN, Texas — Election Day is just a week away, and if you are planning on voting by mail this year, there are certain steps you’ll need to follow.
To qualify to vote by mail in Texas, you must be 65 years of age or older, sick or disabled, out of the county for early voting and Election Day, expected to give birth three weeks before or after Election Day or in jail but otherwise eligible.
Residents voting by mail must have submitted an application by Oct. 25. For the application, you must provide one of the following numbers:
- Texas driver’s license
- Texas personal identification number
- Election identification certificate number issued by the Department of Public Safety (not your voter registration VUID#)
- The last four digits of your social security number
Once you’ve got your mail-in ballot, fill it out and place it in the “ballot” envelope, then put that in the carrier envelope.
The next step is one some voters might miss.
Before sealing the carrier envelope, you will need to fill out the line provided on the envelope for the numbers from your driver’s license, personal ID number, election certificate number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
You want to use the ID that is associated with your voter registration. If, for example, you can’t remember if you used your driver’s license or Social Security number, you can put down both.
Then, sign the carrier envelope and add postage. You’ll want to get it in the mail quickly so it can reach its destination by Election Day. You can also return your ballot in person on Election Day at your county’s early voting clerk’s office.
The ballot must be received by:
- 7 p.m. on Election Day if the envelope is not postmarked
- 5 p.m. on the day after Election Day for ballots mailed within the U.S. if the envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day
- The fifth day after Election Day for ballots mailed from overseas if the envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day
- The sixth day after Election Day for military voters in the U.S. or overseas who submitted a Federal Post Card Application. The envelope does not need to be postmarked