2022 Vote by mail - College Edition

CALLING Mommas of College Students in Texas. (or young adults living away from home)
Your student needs to decide as soon as possible WHERE THEY WILL VOTE in November.
1) Are they going to drive home the ONLY weekend of Early Voting? October 29-30? If they decide to go this route, read on in case they change their minds.

2) Are they going to REGISTER AT THEIR COLLEGE ADDRESS and VOTE at school? If so, go to RegisterTexas.com and fill out a form to update their address. I just did this. I printed the form with my student's college address as their new address and I'm mailing the printed form AND an envelope with postage to mail the form to the local registrar. New forms must be postmarked by October 11. https://vrapp.sos.state.tx.us/index.asp

3) Are they going to VOTE BY MAIL? This is a much trickier process than the last cycle. If your student lives out of state, you need to complete this form NOW. Here are the step-by-step instructions along with a link to print the form to apply for a mail-in ballot. Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot is October 28. 

** Is your student on a study abroad semester? It is a different process/application for voters who live outside the country. They should NOT use the regular application but the Federal Post Card Application.
It’s for military and overseas voters and guarantees them more protections including receiving ballots by email 45 days in advance of elections. It can filled out at www.votefromabroad.org, and they vote using the address where they last resided. Democrats Abroad is here to help as well!

For those voting by mail within the US, follow these instructions:
​To receive a mail-in ballot, the student must be registered to vote in the same county where they want to vote.     

Step One: Complete the application for a mail-in ballot
1. Download the form. 
Statewide Form
English - Travis County
Spanish- Travis County

2. Fill out the form. 

• Voter Information: Fill this out with your home address - the address you used to register to vote. IMPORTANT: Include BOTH your Driver's License number AND the last four digits of your social security number when applying. This is a change in the law designed to reject your application.​

• Mail my Ballot to: This is VERY important. If you want to receive your ballot at school (away from home) select "Other Address" and enter your dorm or apartment information. If you do not do this, your ballot will go to your Travis County address. Under that information, be sure to mark "Address Outside the County"

• Reason for Voting by Mail: College Students need to select the 4th box, "Expected Absence from the County" Enter the first date of your fall term and the last date of your fall term. ((Even if you might be home for a visit.))

• Send me a Ballot for the Following Elections:
  College Students - fill out the Right Side of this section. Select November Election (the others don't apply right now). In the future (2024), if you apply for a ballot for the primary, you would select the party primary AND any resulting runoff.

College STUDENTS must apply for a ballot EVERY election cycle, meaning every time there's an upcoming election, you have to resubmit this form. Unfair? Yes, that's how they keep you from voting.

• Sign and date the form. IMPORTANT: the signature on this form will be compared to the signature on your ballot envelope that you will submit. TAKE A PICTURE of this form and your signature so you're sure to sign the same way when you turn in your ballot.
• MANY BALLOTS are rejected because the voter does NOT sign the envelope. Be sure to remember to sign the envelope that contains your ballot when you mail it in the fall. (more below)

Mail the form to your county elections department 
All forms have to be submitted by mail, no exceptions. 
Travis County
​Regular mail: Travis County Clerk, Elections Division 
PO BOX 149325
AUSTIN, TX 78714-9325. 
​The form must be received by October 28. Don't wait! 

IF you FED Ex your form use this address(FedEx, UPS, USPS Express or Priority Mail, etc.):
Travis County Election Division
5501 Airport Blvd, Suite #100
Austin, TX 78751-1410

Additional County Information:
Bexar Vote by Mail: https://www.bexar.org/3271/Vote-by-Mail
Harris Vote by Mail: ​https://www.harrisvotes.com/Voter/lang/en-US#VoteByMail
Dallas Vote by Mail: https://www.dallascountyvotes.org/absentee-voting/
Tarrant County Vote by Mail: www.tarrantcounty.com/en/elections/Early-Voting-Information/Voting-by-Mail.html 
El Paso Vote by Mail: https://epcountyvotes.com/voter_information/civilian_ballot_by_mail
or google search Your county + Vote by mail

Step Two: Getting your ballot and making it count

You will be mailed an absentee ballot in October. Make your selections and then carefully follow these steps.
First, before you seal the envelope, provide BOTH your Driver's License and last four numbers of your Social Security. (see image below)
​Add your phone number and email below that, so if there are questions, elections officials can contact you.
Then, seal the envelope.  
IMPORTANT: SIGN the ballot envelope with the same signature you used on your application form. The number one reason ballots are rejected is a failure to sign! 

The ballot should be mailed back to your County Clerk and received by November 8 (election day).
Pro Tip: Mail your ballot by Halloween!

Track your ballot: You can track your ballot once it's mailed to see if it's been received. (This is for Travis County.) The Texas Secretary of State also has a ballot tracking system.

​Don't want to deal with all of these forms and hoops? Have your student register to vote where they go to school and make sure they know when and where they can vote on or near campus. Their campus Democratic group will be able to register them to vote locally. However, they will no longer be able to vote in Travis County elections (local races, state house, congressional rep, etc.)

Important Links:
RegisterTexas.com -- If you want to vote in person at college, you must register at your college address. This site helps you complete the registration form, but you must sign it and mail it back in order to be registered. Deadline is October 11. Don't delay!
Register2Vote.org - If you want to check your registration or re-rergister at your college address. There is a provision for mailing the form directly to your apartment or dorm for your signature. But you have to sign and return it!

-- Not sure you're registered? Click here to verify your voter registration.