DALLAS COUNTY, Texas — Early voting for the March 1 Primary Election begins next week, on Valentine’s Day and ends Friday, Feb. 25.
Some voters who are eligible can request to vote by mail, but must first apply to do so. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot by your county is Friday, Feb. 18. Click here to see who is eligible to vote by mail.
You can submit an application by downloading one, here or request an application from the Texas Secretary of State’s Office or request an application from the Early Voting clerk in your county.
According to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, all applications to vote by mail must be received by the early voting clerk before the close of regular business or noon, whichever is later.
According to the Texas Secretary of State Office, there are currently 17,185,157 registered voters for the Primary Election.
So far, at least 28% of mail-in ballot applications have been rejected in Dallas County, because of the state's new election law that took effect. Because of that, some voters may not get their mail-in ballot back. Below is a guide for what their options are, should that happen.
What happens if I don’t get my mail-in ballot before the Primary Election Day?
Your best bet – go to the polls!
Collin County’s Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet says, “If a voter hasn’t received their ballot…their only option would be to vote a provisional ballot at a polling place.”
Here’s how to find your early voting location: https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do
If you cast a provisional ballot, the ballot board will then review it and make sure the original mailed ballot has not been cast, Sherbet told WFAA last election. Once they are sure the mailed-in ballot has not been counted, the ballot board will approve the provisional ballot.
But if they do receive a mailed-in ballot and count it, the board will reject the provisional ballot, he said.
The board is also required to let the voter know after the election whether or not their provisional ballot was accepted or rejected.
What if I have the ballot but worry it won't make it back in time?
The United States Postal Service generally recommends voters send back their mail-in ballots before Election Day, as a "common-sense measure." The ballot should be mailed at least one week prior to their state's deadline, according to the USPS.
The deadline to receive ballots mailed within in the U.S. from non-military and military voters who applied is 5 p.m. Thursday, March 3, if the carrier envelope has a postmark showing it was in the mail by 7 p.m. March 1.
Absentee ballots can also be delivered to county elections offices in person with a valid form of ID while polls are open on Election Day.
Completed ballots from military or overseas voters will be accepted if they are received by March 7. (Learn more, here.)
So, what can voters do if they're worried it won't get there in time? They still have a few options.
They can fill out their mail-in ballot and hand-deliver it to the designated drop-off location in the voter's county.
Voters can also bring their blank mail-in ballot to the polls and exchange it there to cast a ballot in person instead.