HOUSTON — We're in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic and Election Day is fast approaching. While some changes are being made to protect in-person voting, we could see a surge in voting by mail this election.
Below is information about mail-in voting for the upcoming November 3 election, directly from the Texas Secretary of State website.
Am I eligible to vote by mail?
Not everyone can vote early by mail. To be eligible, you must be a registered voter and meet one of the following requirements:
- Away from the county of residence on Election Day and during the early voting period
- Sick or disabled
- 65 years of age or older on Election Day
- Confined in jail, but eligible to vote
First, you need to get an Application for Ballot by Mail (or ABBM). Then follow these steps.
- Print (PDF) the ABBM form
- OR submit an order online and an ABBM will be mailed to you.
- Complete Sections 1 through 8.
- Sign and Date Section 10.
- If you were unable to sign the application and someone witnessed your signature, that person must complete Section 11.
- If someone helped you complete the application or mailed the application for you, that person must complete Section 11.
- Affix postage.
- If you printed the application you must place it in your own envelope and add postage.
- If you ordered the application online and it was mailed to you - fold the application in half, moisten top tab, seal and add postage.
- Address and mail the completed ABBM to the Early Voting Clerk in your county. You may also fax the application if a fax machine is available in the early voting clerk’s office. You also have the option of submitting a scanned copy of the completed and signed application to the Early Voting Clerk via email. If an ABBM is faxed or emailed, then the original, hard copy of the application MUST be mailed and received by the early voting clerk no later than the 4th business day.
- The Early Voting Clerk is the County Clerk or Elections Administrator for your county
- Contact information, including mailing addresses, fax numbers if available, and email addresses for the Early Voting Clerks are available on this website.
We have specific county information below. Check the links below for the individual counties for the very latest information on mail-in voting..
The last day to apply for a ballot for the November 3, 2020 general election is October 23. And keep in mind – that is the date the application is received, not when it’s postmarked.
**ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE DATED AND SIGNED**
Harris County mail-in voting
To apply, send your application by regular mail to:
Chris Hollins
Harris County Clerk
ATTN: Elections Division
P.O. Box 1148, Houston, TX 77251-1148
If you send by common or contract carrier, have it sent to
Chris Hollins
Harris County Clerk
1001 Preston, 4th Floor, Room 440
Houston, TX 77002
**Please note, the law has changed. To be effective, an application for ballot by mail submitted by FAX or EMAIL must also be submitted by mail and be received by the early voting clerk no later than the fourth business day after the transmission by fax or email is received.
Fort Bend County mail-in voting
Download Fort Bend County application for ballot by mail below.
Applications may be submitted by mail, fax, or as an email attachment. If the application is submitted by fax or email, the applicant must also submit the ORIGINAL application BY MAIL not later than the 4th business day after submitting the faxed or emailed application.
You can mail the application to
Fort Bend County Elections
301 Jackson Street
Richmond, TX 77469
Fax: 281-341-4418
Email: vote@fortbendcountytx.gov
Montgomery County mail-in voting
You can send the application to one of the following:
Mailing address
Elections Administrator
P.O. Box 2646
Conroe, Texas 77305-2646
Physical address for carrier delivery
Elections Administrator
9159 Airport Road
Conroe, TX 77303
*You can also fax it to 936-788-8340 or email it to election.ballot@mctx.org
*IMPORTANT: For a faxed or emailed application to be effective, it must also be submitted by mail and be received by the Early Voting Clerk not later than the fourth business day after the fax or email is received.
Brazoria County mail-in voting
You can submit the application to one of the following:
Mailing address
Joyce Hudman, County Clerk
111 E. Locust Ste 200
Angleton, TX 77515
New Law, Effective 12/1/2017: An application for ballot by mail submitted by fax or email must also be mailed and received not later than the fourth business day after the fax or email transmission.
Galveston County mail-in voting
You can submit the application to one of the following:
Mailing address
Attn: Ballots by Mail
C/O Dwight Sullivan
Galveston County Clerk
P.O. Box 17253,
Galveston, TX 77552-7253
*OR, FAX to: (409)765-3249
*OR, E-mail:
Attach a scanned copy of your completed application to the e-mail.
*For FAX or e-mail: The original must still be mailed to the Galveston County office.
Chambers County mail-in voting
You can submit the application to one of the following:
Mailing address
Heather H. Hawthorne
Early Voting Clerk
PO Box 728
Anahuac, TX 77514
Fax: 409-267-8405
Email: hhawthorne@chamberstx.gov
Office: 409-267-2420