Learn everything you need to know to vote
in Texas.
Authority Conducting Elections | Local Political Subdivisions and Counties |
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Deadline to post candidate requirements5 Form 1-15 (PDF) | Friday, May 1, 2020 |
Deadline to post notice of candidate filing deadline1 | Monday, December 14, 2020 for local political subdivisions that have a first day to file for their candidates1 |
First day to apply for a ballot by mail using Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM) or Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). | Friday, January 1, 2021* *First day to file does not move because of New Year’s Day holiday. An “Annual ABBM” or FPCA for a January or February 2021 election may be filed earlier, but not earlier than the 60th day before the date of the January or February election. |
First Day to File for Place on General Election or Special Election Ballot (for local political subdivisions ONLY)1 | Wednesday, January 13, 2021 |
Last Day to File for Place on General Election Ballot (for local political subdivisions ONLY)2 | Friday, February 12, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. See note below relating to four-year terms 3 |
Last Day to Order General Election or Special Election on a Measure | Friday, February 12, 2021 |
Last Day to Register to Vote | Thursday, April 1, 2021 |
First Day of Early Voting By Personal Appearance | Monday, April 19, 2021 |
Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) | Tuesday, April 20, 2021 |
Last Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance | Tuesday, April 27, 2021 |
Last day to Receive Ballot by Mail | Saturday, May 1, 2021 (election day) at 7:00 p.m. (unless a late-arriving deadline applies) |
Authority Conducting Elections | County Elections Officer/Local political subdivisions |
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Deadline to post candidate requirements5 Form 1-15 (PDF) | Monday, November 2, 2020 |
First day to apply for a ballot by mail using Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM) or Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). | Friday, January 1, 2021*
*First day to file does not move because of New Year’s Day holiday. An “Annual ABBM” or FPCA for a January or February 2021 election may be filed earlier, but not earlier than the 60th day before the date of the January or February election. |
Deadline to post notice of candidate filing deadline1 |
Thursday, June 17, 2021 for local political subdivisions that have a first day to file for their candidates1 |
First Day to File for Place on General Election Ballot (for local political subdivisions ONLY)1 |
Saturday, July 17, 2021 (“first day” does not move; office hours not required) |
Last Day to Order General Election or Special Election on a Measure |
Monday, August 16, 2021 |
Last Day to File for Place on General Election Ballot (for local political subdivisions ONLY) 2 |
Monday, August 16, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. See note below relating to four-year terms 3 |
Last Day to Register to Vote | Monday, October 4, 2021 |
First Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance | Monday, October 18, 2021 (17th day before election day falls on a Saturday, first day moves to next business day) |
Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) |
Friday, October 22, 2021 |
Last Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance | Friday, October 29, 2021 |
Last day to Receive Ballot by Mail | Tuesday, November 2, 2021 (election day) at 7:00 p.m. (unless a late-arriving deadline applies) |
1 For the few entities who do not have a first day to file: For the May 1, 2021 election, Wednesday, January 13, 2021 is the deadline to post notice of candidate filing deadline for local political subdivisions that do not have a first day to file for their candidates. For the November 2, 2021 election, Saturday, July 17, 2021 is the deadline to post notice of candidate filing deadline for local political subdivisions that do not have a first day to file for their candidates.
Local political subdivisions include: cities, school districts, water districts, hospital districts, and any other local government entity that conducts elections. Many of these elections are conducted on the May uniform election date. Note: Counties may also be holding local proposition (measure) elections on May 1, 2021.
2Filing deadlines: generally, the filing deadline is the 78th day prior to Election Day. The Code may provide a different special election filing deadline. See Section 201.054 of the Texas Election Code (the “Code”). Write-in deadlines for general and special elections vary; the deadline for most local (city, school, other) special elections is now the same day as the filing deadline for application for a place on the ballot in a May election or November election.
3If no candidate for a four-year term has filed an application for a place on the ballot for a city office, the filing deadline for that office is extended to 5 p.m. of the 57th day before the election. For the May 1, 2021 election, this is Friday, March 5, 2021. For the November 2, 2021 election, this is Tuesday, September 7, 2021. See Section 143.008 of the Code.
4The county elections officer may be the county clerk, the county tax assessor-collector (if commissioners court transfers election duties to him/her), or the county elections administrator (if commissioners court creates the position).
5 Section 2051.152 of the Government Code requires all political subdivisions with the authority to impose a tax maintain a publically accessible Internet website and post the date and location of the next election for officers of the political subdivision and the requirements and deadline for filing for candidacy of each elected office of the political subdivision, which shall be continuously posted for at least one year before the election day for the office.
If you are voting early because of an expected absence, you may apply in person for a ballot by mail before the early “voting in person” period begins (usually the 17th day before the election).
If you are voting by mail because you are disabled or are 65 years of age or older, you may use a single application to request ballots by mail for all county elections in the calendar year. To do so, simply mark “Annual Application” on your application for a ballot by mail when selecting the election for which you are applying.
Your ballot by mail application must be sent to the Early Voting Clerk in the county where you are registered to vote. Below are the ballot by mail application periods for the 2021 Elections. Applications must be received (not postmarked) by last day of the application period. All applications to vote by mail must be received by the early voting clerk before the close of regular business or 12 noon, whichever is later. Applications to vote by mail must be submitted by mail, common or contract carrier, email or fax. If you fax or e-mail your application to the Early Voting Clerk, you must also mail the application so that the Clerk receives it no later than the fourth business day after the day the Clerk received your faxed or emailed application. If you fax or e-mail your application by the deadline noted below, your application will be considered complete and timely as long as the original is received by the early voting clerk by the fourth business day after it was submitted by fax or e-mail.
The Early Voting Clerk must receive your marked ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day, by 5:00 p.m. the first business day after Election Day if the postmarked ballot was mailed within the United States from non-military voters and from any military voters who submitted an Application for Ballot by Mail (“ABBM”), or by the 5th day after Election Day if your ballot is submitted from outside the United States.
Should a situation arise regarding any aspect of voting and you don’t know what to do, please call our office. Our legal staff is available toll-free at 1.800.252.8683 to answer questions and advise you on your rights as a voter. Early Voting Timeline January 1, 2021 for election(s) held in 2021* *First day to file does not move because of New Year’s Day holiday. An “Annual ABBM” or FPCA for a January or February 2020 election may be filed earlier, but not earlier than the 60th day before the date of the January or February election.
1. The Election Code authorizes voting a limited ballot after changing county of residence.
2. A person voting a limited ballot under this chapter is entitled to vote only on each office or measure to be voted in a territorial unit (state or district) of which the person was a resident both before changing their county of residence and after the change.
1. After changing residence to another county, a person is eligible to vote a limited ballot by personal appearance or by mail if:
a. the person would have been eligible to vote in the county of former residence on election day if still residing in that county; and2. A person is not eligible to vote a limited ballot by mail unless, in addition to satisfying the eligibility requirements prescribed above, the person is eligible to vote early by mail under the standard early by mail rules.
An application for a limited ballot to be voted by mail under this chapter must be submitted to the early voting clerk serving the election precinct in which the applicant currently resides.
A person may vote a limited ballot by personal appearance only at the main early voting polling place.
1. Before providing a limited ballot to the applicant, the early voting clerk must verify, if possible, that the applicant does not have an effective voter registration in the county of new residence.
2. If the person has applied in the county of new residence for a voter registration that will be effective on or before Election Day, the limited ballot application must be rejected. The voter will be able to vote a regular ballot in the new county since the registration will be effective by election day.
Not later than the 30th day after receipt of an application for a limited ballot, the early voting clerk must notify the voter registrar of the voter’s former county of residence that the voter has applied for a limited ballot.
Voting Presidential Ballot by Former Resident.
The Election Code authorizes voting a presidential ballot for president and vice-president under certain circumstances.
SUM: the procedure helps former residents of Texas who have recently moved to another state but did not register in time to vote in the new state.
A former resident is eligible to vote a presidential ballot under this chapter by personal appearance or by mail if the former resident:
1. is domiciled in another state;An application for a presidential ballot to be voted by mail under this chapter must be submitted to the early voting clerk serving the county of the applicant’s most recent registration to vote.
1. The total time period for voting this ballot by personal appearance is the early voting period, plus the early voting clerk’s regular office hours between early voting and Election Day, then on Election Day.
a. A person may vote a presidential ballot by personal appearance only at the main early voting polling place for the county of the person’s most recent registration to vote.2. Personal Appearance Voting; Processing Results.
a. On submission of an application for a presidential ballot to be voted by personal appearance, the early voting clerk shall review the application and verify the applicant’s registration status in accordance with the procedure applicable to early voting by mail.1. As soon as practicable after the close of voting, the early voting clerk shall notify the voter registrar of the name of each person who applied for a presidential ballot whose name appears on the list of registered voters.
2. On receipt of the notice, the voter registrar shall cancel the voter’s registration.
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