If you are planning to vote by mail for the November 8th election, it is time to apply and request your ballot. The League of Women Voters of Texas has created some fantastic resources to help voters understand the process. The last day that vote by mail applications can be received at your county elections office is October 28th, but don’t wait. Do it soon!
Are you eligible to vote by mail?
Voting by mail in Texas is limited to voters who are:
1. 65 years of age or older on Election Day;
2. Sick or disabled;
3. Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day;
4. Absent from the county of registration during the Early Voting period and on Election Day;
5. Civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code; or
6. Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.
If you are eligible and decide to apply to vote by mail, read on for the League of Women Voters of Texas’ guest blog on vote by mail!
NEW Vote by Mail Resources!
Did you know that nearly 25,000 mail-in ballots were rejected during the May Texas Primary Election? Do you want to help to minimize that happening again? We have a way to help make that happen!
After the alarming rate of rejected mail-in ballots, the League of Women Voters of Texas (LWVTX) went to work. We engaged the Center for Civic Design (CCD), to create easier to understand and use Vote by Mail materials. The LWVTX provided the background, knowledge, and content about Texas’ ballot by mail laws and processes while CCD provided their expert design, usability, and accessibility skills.
We are making these new resources available to Election Administrators, political parties, and organizations!
The resources include download and print resources below include:
● Vote by Mail Application – this new application is easier to understand and to fill out. Yes, it is valid to use this application! Per the Texas Secretary of State’s website other vote by mail applications can be used as long as it has the necessary fields, which this does.
● How to Apply and Vote by Mail – A double sided checklist. One side is for completing any vote by mail application, and the other side is for completing the ballot by mail carrier envelope. These were where the biggest issues in the past for people with the vote by mai
● Pocket Guide – A foldable guide on how to vote by mail. Bookmarks – Two sets of bookmarks with different quick tips on voting by mail.
● Door Hanger -Two sets of door hangers also with different quick tips on voting by mail.
All the resources can be found at LWVTexas.org/votebymail and listed below for your convenience.
● Application to Vote by Mail (no branding as it is an application)
LWV Texas Branded
● How to Apply and Vote by Mail
● Pocket Guide – How to Vote by Mail
Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese
These are coming soon as CCD is still field testing them. We will post them on the LWVTexas.org/votebymail site when available.
Customizable
These can be updated with your organization’s logo. Please don’t change other content.
● How to Apply and Vote by Mail
● Pocket Guide – How to Vote by Mail
LWVTX and CCD hope you will use these new resources and help to reduce the number of rejected mail-in ballots and applications for the November general election!
There is also a new How To Return Vote by Mail Ballot video with step-by-step instructions to assist eligible voters in this process.
Thank you to TEV partner, The League of Women Voters of Texas, for helping voters follow the rules to ensure their ballots are counted and their voices are heard!