For voters who anticipate being out of town during the early voting period and on Election Day, they may request a ballot-by-mail by completing our standard application and sending it to our office. Early voting-by-mail is also open to those individuals who are 65 years of age, those persons who possess a disability which prevents them from visiting an early voting or Election Day polling location, or persons currently in a hospital or nursing facility and are unable to visit an Early Voting or Election Day Location. For many local elections such as independent school districts, municipalities, and other governing bodies, you will want to verify who the early voting clerk will be for the upcoming election. The Harris County Clerk is the early voting clerk for all county elections and for other entities that have contracted for that service, but you should verify this information before mailing your application in for processing. For a comprehensive review of voting by mail, click the following link for our Question and Answer section.

To complete the application to vote by mail, click the link for " Ballot-By-Mail Application”.

IMPORTANT NOTE: TEXAS STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT APPLICATIONS FOR A BALLOT BY MAIL MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE 60TH DAY BEFORE AN ELECTION.

VOTING BY-MAIL-OVERSEAS VOTERS

For those voters who are temporarily overseas and wish to vote by-mail, you may complete the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). This type of application is limited to civilian and military citizens temporarily living overseas. FPCA applications will prequalify overseas U.S. citizens to automatically receive ballots for all elections in which they qualify to vote for a period of one calendar year. The Harris County Clerk's office attempts to mail all overseas ballots by the 45th day prior to an election to allow adequate time for overseas mail delivery. Ballots returned from overseas must be postmarked by day of the election and received by the 5th day after election day. For additional information on the FPCA application you may visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program's website at www.fvap.gov.

FPCA Application 

If you have questions concerning the early voting process and cannot find the answer on this page, you may e-mail our early voting supervisor directly at jballard@cco.hctx.net.

1. VOTING INFORMATION: VOTING-BY-MAIL: Can I vote by Mail?
   
   You may vote early by-mail if you are registered to vote and:
   
   
   • 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; or
   • Confined in jail, but eligible to vote.
     
     (To check voter registration status visit http://www.hctax.net/voter/voter.asp or call 713.368.2200);
     
     
2. VOTING INFORMATION: VOTING-BY-MAIL:  When and where can I submit a ballot-by-mail application?
   
   Applications for a ballot by mail must be submitted to the early voting clerk on, or after, the 60th day before Election Day and before the close of business on the 7th day before Election Day. If the 7th day is a weekend, the last day to submit an application is the preceding Friday.
   
   If you are voting early by mail you must send your application by:
   
   
   • regular mail to:

     Stan Stanart Harris County Clerk
     Attn:  Elections Division
     P.O. Box 1148
     Houston, TX 77251-1148

   • common or contract carrier; or
   • FAX to 713-755-4983

     Exception:
     If you are voting early because of expected absence, you may apply in person for a ballot by mail before the first day of early voting in person (usually the 17th day before the election).

3. VOTING INFORMATION: VOTING-BY-MAIL: Military and Overseas Voters
   
   For those voters who are temporarily out of the country and wish to vote by-mail, you may complete the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). This type of application is limited to:
   • A member of the U.S. Armed Forces, their spouse or a dependent;
   • A member of the U.S. Merchant Marines, their spouse or a dependent;
   • A U.S. citizen domiciled in Texas but temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States;
      

FPCA applications will pre-qualify U.S. citizens who are temporarily outside of the country to automatically receive ballots for all elections in which they qualify to vote for a period of one calendar year.

The Harris County Clerk’s office attempts to mail all overseas applications by the 45th day prior to an election to allow adequate time for overseas mail delivery. Ballots returned from overseas must be postmarked by day of the election and received by the 5th day after Election Day. For additional information on the FPCA application you may visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website at www.fvap.gov.