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🗳️ Who Can Vote by Mail in Harris County
In Texas, including Harris County, only certain voters are eligible to cast a ballot by mail. You can request a mail ballot only if you meet one of these criteria:
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You are 65 years of age or older
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You are sick or disabled
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You will be out of the county during both early voting and on Election Day
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You expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
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You are confined in jail (but still otherwise eligible)Texas Secretary of State
Texas doesn’t allow no-excuse mail voting for everyone the way some states do.Harris Votes
📝 How to Apply for a Mail Ballot
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Request a Mail Ballot Application
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You can request either:
• A single election mail ballot, or
• An annual ballot for all elections in the calendar year if you’re eligible (e.g., age 65+ or disabled).Harris County Clerk's Office
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Submit the Application
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Must be received (not just postmarked) by the Early Voting Clerk by the deadline for that election.votetexas.gov
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You can deliver the application:
• By mail
• In person
• By common or contract carrier
• Fax or email (with a signed form)votetexas.gov
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Important: Texas Senate Bill 1 requires you to request a mail ballot application every year you want one — ballots are not sent automatically based on past elections.Harris Votes
📬 Receiving & Returning Your Ballot
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After your application is approved, the county will mail your ballot to you.
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When you complete your ballot, put it in the official carrier envelope and sign it.
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Return it so the Early Voting Clerk receives it by the deadline:
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7 p.m. on Election Day if there is no postmark
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5 p.m. the next business day if it is postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day (for domestic mail), per Texas rules.votetexas.gov
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Note: U.S. Postal Service changes in how and when mail is postmarked may affect whether your ballot arrives on time. Because of this, voters are often advised to mail ballots well before the deadline or hand-deliver them to the county elections office.Houston Chronicle
📅 Deadlines to Remember (Examples)
For recent elections in Harris County:
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Deadline to apply for a mail ballot is usually on or near the start of early voting (e.g., Jan. 20 for a Jan 31, 2026 run-off).Harris Votes
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Ballots must be received by the clerk by the deadlines noted above after Election Day.votetexas.gov
Deadlines change with each election, so always check HarrisVotes.com or the Secretary of State’s election calendar before you apply.Harris Votes
📊 Mail Voting in Recent Harris County Results
In the Nov. 2025 election, a small portion of early votes in Harris County were cast by mail — about 7,100 mail ballots out of more than 212,000 early votes, showing that mail voting is far less common than in-person voting.Houston Chronicle
If you want help finding the official application link or current deadlines for a specific election, let me know!