Absentee voting is an excellent way to cast your vote if you are unable to make it to the polls on election day. It allows you to vote before election day by mail or mailbox, and the rules and deadlines for who can participate vary from state to state. In most states, you'll need to request an absentee ballot to vote in every election. However, in some states, you may qualify to receive absentee ballots on a permanent basis.
If you live in Taylor, Texas, and are looking to request a ballot for a special election, there are certain criteria that must be met. You must be sick or disabled; out of the county on election day and during the period of early voting by personal appearance; or waiting for you to give birth within. To find out if you can vote absentee in every election in your state, visit Can I Vote? and choose your state from the drop-down menu. It will take you directly to your state's absentee voting page.
Make sure you meet your state's deadlines for requesting and returning your absentee ballot. Once you receive your ballot in the mail, carefully review each option in each contest or proposal for which you are going to vote and mark your choices according to the instructions on the ballot envelope. After marking your ballot, place it in the envelope marked BALLOT and seal the envelope. Then, sign the envelope in the space provided and return it to your county's early voting clerk either by mail, through a common or contracted carrier, or in person on election day at your county's early voting clerk's office. If you decide to return your ballot in person on election day, it must be received by an election official, you must present an acceptable form of identification, and the election official must record your name, signature and type of identification used on a list that the official must accredit. Every Texas county has an Early Voting Ballot Board (EVBB), comprised of appointees from all political parties. The EVBB is responsible for reviewing ballots sent by mail to ensure that they comply with the Texas Election Code before they can be included in the vote count. Military personnel and families who are out of their legal residence may also be able to vote absentee.
If you have not been issued a Texas driver's license, a Texas personal identification number, a Texas voter identification certificate number, or a social security number, you must indicate this by checking the appropriate box on the ABBM or envelope. For voters aged 70 and older, photo identification may expire for any period of time if it is otherwise valid. This identification number is NOT your unique voter identifier (VUID) on the voter registration card you receive in the mail. Your VUID is NOT mandatory information on either your ABBM envelope or the postal carrier's envelope. In order to ensure that all citizens have access to their right to vote, Secretary Scott has released a new video providing an overview of voting by mail in Texas. This includes who is eligible to vote by mail, the identification requirements for voting by mail, and how county officials work to protect the security and integrity of ballots cast by mail in an election. If you have any questions about requesting a ballot for a special election in Taylor, Texas, visit Can I Vote?, contact your local or state election office for more information on returning your absentee ballot besides postal mail, or ask a real person any government-related questions for free.
