Mail-In Ballots 101

The November 2022 Uniform Election is coming up fast! On Tuesday, November 8^th local representatives and state senators will be up for election or re-election on a county and state-wide level.

The last day to register for the November 2022 Uniform Election is Tuesday, October 11^th!

If you need to register, please visit our PHNTX Policy, Advocacy, & Community Engagement page for more information.

You can visit the Texas State Voter Portal to check your voter registration status. If you live in Dallas County you can check the Dallas County Elections website to view early voting locations and times.

Here are a few more critical dates for the upcoming Nov. 8^th election:

• Oct 11, 2022 – Last day to register to vote.
• Oct 24, 2022 – First day of early voting.
• Oct 28, 2022 – Last day for the registrar to receive UNPOSTMARKED mail-in ballot applications.
• Nov 4, 2022 – Last day of in-person early voting.
• Nov 8, 2022 – The day mail-in ballots MUST be postmarked.
• Nov 8, 2022 – Last day to submit an UNPOSTMARKED mail-in ballot. Must be submitted by hand, no later than 7:00 p.m.
• Nov 8, 2022 – Last day to vote in person. Typically, voting locations open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.

Are You Eligible to Vote by Mail?

You can access the Texas Application for a Ballot by Mail here.

To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must:

• be 65 years or older (on or before Election Day).
• be sick or disabled and unable to appear at the polling place on election day without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring the voter’s health (Texas Election Code Sec. 82.002 [link: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/EL/htm/EL.82.htm]).
• be unable to make a personal appearance at the polling place due to being out of the county during the early voting period and on Election Day.
• be unable to make a personal appearance at the polling place due to the expectation to give birth within three weeks prior to or three weeks after Election Day.
• be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible to vote. This means one of the following:
  1. You are serving a misdemeanor sentence (application may be submitted via email).
  2. You are awaiting a trial after the denial of bail.
  3. Without bail, you are awaiting an appeal of a felony conviction.
  4. Pending trial or appeal on a bailable offense, however, your release on bail before Election Day is unlikely.
  5. You are involuntarily, civilly committed.

Methods to submit your mail-in ballot application include:

• In-person
• Mail
• Email
• Fax
• Common or Contract Carrier

Your mail-in ballot application must be received by Friday, October 28, 2022.

If you are using fax or email for your application, it must be received by the voting clerk’s office no later than 4:00 p.m. on Oct. 28^th.

Mail-In Voting Application Tips:

Your ballot must be mailed to the address where you are registered to vote, to the address listed on your Voter Registration Certificate, to an elderly or disabled person’s care facility, or to a close relative. Where your ballot is being mailed relies on the following:

• If you are voting by mail because you are age 65+ or have a disability: The Ballot can be mailed to a hospital, nursing home, long-term care facility, retirement, assisted living facility, or to a close relative.
• If you are absent from the county: Your ballot must be mailed to an address outside the county.
• If civilly, involuntarily, or jail confined: Your ballot can be mailed to the address of the jail/commitment facility or to a close relative.

Annual Application Option:

Voters who are age 65+, or who have a disability are eligible to select the Annual Application option which will allow their mail-in ballot application to be valid for all elections in the year (January-December) for which they are submitting their application.

Deadline to Apply: 

• If the deadline falls on a weekend before Election Day, it may be submitted on the first preceding business day.
• If the deadline falls on a weekend before Election Day, your ballot must be mailed to an address.
• If applying for the Annual Application, the individual can use the 60-day rule. This states that if the application is submitted within 60 days of an election that takes place in the following calendar year, your application will be valid for all elections in the following calendar year.