General Resources
Updates to Mail-In Ballot Requirements
REMEMBER YOUR NUMBERS: New laws require voters to include their driver’s license number, or the last four digits of their Social Security numbers on the mail-in ballot application form.
THE TOP REASON FOR BALLOT REJECTIONS is the lack of that information. The Secretary of State is now advising voters to include both numbers to ensure that what they submit matches what’s on file
Questions and Answers
Q: When do I receive my mail-in ballot for seniors over 65?
A: Unless you’ve already applied for a mail ballot this year, you won’t automatically be sent one. First, you’ll need to submit an application by Feb. 18. Senior citizens are automatically eligible for mail ballots, but must request them each year. If you receive a mail ballot for the primary election, you will also receive one for the general election, and any municipal elections that year. The application form is here: webservices.sos.state.tx.us/forms/5-15f.pdf
Q: I have my 2021 voter’s registration card but haven't received my 2022 card. Can I vote in the primary election, and when will I receive my 2022 card? What do I have to do to be able to vote in the primary?
A: Your voter registration card is not necessary if you are already registered at your current address. Just be sure you take an acceptable form of ID (such as a driver’s license) to the polls with you. A list of acceptable IDs can be found here: www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/id/poster-8.5x14-aw-voter.pdf. All registered Texas voters can participate in the 2022 primary and general elections.
Q: What do you have to do to vote in a primary? Is it the same as a regular election?
A: One key difference: For voting in primaries, you need to pick either the Democratic or Republican ballot, then pick the best candidates in that party’s primary races. In Texas, you don’t have to belong to a party in order to vote in its primary election.
Q: I have a voter registration card which expired in December 2021. I have not received a new card. Do I need to re-register?
A: If you have not moved, you do not need to re-register. Just take an acceptable form of ID to the polls with you. Or, if you are eligible for mail-voting, fill out the application and submit it to your local elections office.
Q: How can my daughter, who is a college student, vote if she is registered here?
A: Under the law, Texas residents who will be out of their home county during voting are eligible for mail-in ballots. To apply for one, you can download a form here: webservices.sos.state.tx.us/forms/5-15f.pdf. The deadline for mail ballot applications is Feb. 18 — that’s when it must be received by your local elections office, not postmarked.
Q: Where can you check to make sure your mail-in application was not rejected?
A: This can vary county-by-county, but a good place to start is with the state’s mail ballot tracking system. Some county elections officials are not updating it, however, so you might also try checking their websites to see if they have their own online trackers. Finally, the best way to settle any confusion would be to call your local elections office and inquire about the status of your mail-ballot application.
Q: Does a senior have to reapply every year to vote by mail?
A: Yes. All registered Texans over the age of 65 can vote by mail without an excuse. But they need to file a new application for a mail ballot each year. Once you are approved to vote by mail, you’ll get mail ballots for each election that year without having to apply again. The deadline for mail ballot applications is Feb. 18. That’s when it must be received by your local elections clerk, not postmarked.