All states · Nonpartisan. No account. No cookies.
Can I vote by mail in Texas?
Only with a qualifying reason.
You need an approved reason, such as travel, illness or disability, age, or work. Check your state's list. If you don't qualify, early in-person voting is usually an option.
Voters 65 and older qualify automatically. Registration deadline Oct. 5.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 5Passed
(mail or in person; no online registration)
- Mail request must be receivedFri, Oct 23Passed
close of business or noon, whichever is later
Missed the request deadline?
- Voters with a sickness or disability that began on or after Oct. 22. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 5 p.m. (application); voted ballot by 7 p.m.. Application for an Emergency Early Voting Ballot with a doctor's certificate, hand-delivered to the Early Voting Clerk by a representative (18 or older, not tied to a candidate, one voter per election), who brings you the ballot and returns it in person. source
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day and received by 5 p.m. Nov. 4.
Dropping it off? Drop-off exists but is restricted here, so check the details before you rely on it. Texas allows in-person return to the early voting clerk on Election Day only. early voting clerk's office.
Who can return it for you: You must return it yourself, with narrow exceptions. The carrier envelope may be returned only by mail, by a common or contract carrier, or by you in person (Election Day only, at the early voting clerk's office, with photo ID). Someone who mails it or takes it to a carrier for you must sign and print their name and address on the envelope, unless they are a close relative or live with you. No drop boxes. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Mon, Nov 9 · 15 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Return the Corrective Action Form from the ballot board's notice by mail or carrier as soon as you get it, fix an ID number online through the ballot tracker, or go to the early voting clerk's office in person by Nov. 9, the sixth day after the election. Deadline: Mon, Nov 9 · 15 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Texas?
Will your ballot count in Texas?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Texas, and how to avoid it
- Write the same ID number you used to register (Texas driver's license/ID/EIC number, or last four of SSN) on both the application and the carrier envelope. Not your voter registration VUID number. Mismatched numbers were the top reason Texas rejected ballots in 2022. If anyone helps you, their name and address go on the carrier envelope and they must sign it.
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Fri, Oct 30. Locations and hours
Bring a photo ID. If you don't have one there's a fallback, usually signing an affidavit or having your signature checked, and your ballot still counts that day.
Accepted: Seven photo IDs: TX driver license, TX Election Identification Certificate, TX personal ID card, TX handgun license, U.S. military ID with photo, U.S. citizenship certificate with photo, U.S. passport (book or card); expired up to 4 years OK (any length if 70+) Without one: Voters who do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain a photo ID sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and show a supporting document (voter registration certificate, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, birth certificate, etc.) and vote a regular ballot with no follow-up. A voter who owns a photo ID but did not bring it votes provisionally and must show ID within 6 days.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Texas has an annual application for voters 65+ or with a disability. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. One application covers every county election in the calendar year; it must arrive at least 11 days before the first election you want.
Texas can start processing mail ballots 12 days before Election Day, so most results come in on election night. Results are certified Tue, Nov 17.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
Add these dates to my calendarPrintable one-pagerText this to myselfEmail it
Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.