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Election questions? This is how voting by mail will work

When you’re voting in person, your vote is submitted right then and there. But voting by mail has a few more steps.

HOUSTON — Deadlines are fast approaching for the November election. You have to be registered to vote by Monday, and if you’re voting by mail, you have just three more weeks to apply.

This year's election will be different from any other election in so many ways, so we want to answer any questions you may have, especially when it comes to your vote being counted.

When you’re voting in person, your vote is submitted right then and there. But voting by mail has a few more steps.

How does the clerk's office process your mail-in ballot?

They say it goes through a rigorous validation process. Once they get it, immediately, the ballot is scanned and imaged so it’s on record. It’s then locked away until the signature is verified. Once that happens, the accepted ballots are run through a tallying machine, and that collects the data and stores it on a secure device that’s locked inside a vault.

How is your signature verified?

There is a Signature Verification Committee. Your signature on your ballot has to match the signature on your application, and two people, a Republican and Democrat, have to agree they are the same signatures.

Do you need a stamp? 

Yes, you will need two standard stamps for your ballot. That will cost $1.10. However, if you don’t have stamps, you can just drop your ballot in the mail and it will still be delivered, or you can drop it off in person.

When will your vote be counted?

While your signature may already be verified and the data already collected, your actual vote won’t be counted until Election Day after the polls close.

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