Bexar County Version
The local version, pre-filled with the Bexar County mailing address for returning the completed form.
Download (PDF) →How to Vote by Mail
How to Vote by Mail in Bexar County
Texas has strict rules about who can vote by mail. If you qualify, this page walks you through every step — from getting the application to making sure your ballot is counted.
Start here
Do I qualify to vote by mail?
Unlike some states, Texas only allows mail voting in five specific cases. You can apply if any one of these is true:
You’re 65 or older. Automatic eligibility — no other reason needed.
You have a disability. A sickness or physical condition that prevents you from voting in person without risk to your health.
You’re out of the county. You’ll be away from Bexar County the entire early voting period and on Election Day.
You’re confined in jail. But still eligible to vote — not convicted of a felony you haven’t completed sentencing for.
You’re expecting to give birth. Within three weeks before or after Election Day.
A note on self-certification: You determine whether you meet these grounds. Bexar County election officials cannot require you to prove you qualify under the disability category — but you must sign the application under penalty of perjury.
Next mail ballot deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026 Applications for the May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff must be received (not postmarked) by this date.
The mail-ballot process at a glance
Mail voting in Texas happens in five phases. Each one has its own deadline — missing any of them can cost you your vote.
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1
Get the application
Download the Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM). Available in English & Spanish.
Details → -
2
Submit it
Mail, fax, email, or deliver in person. Must be received 11 days before Election Day.
Details → -
3
Receive your ballot
Bexar County mails your ballot packet to the address on your application. Usually within 7–10 days.
Check status → -
4
Mark & return
Follow the envelope instructions carefully. Signatures and ID numbers matter.
Details → -
5
Track it
Use Bexar County’s tracker. If rejected, you have 6 days to fix (“cure”) your ballot.
Details →
Get the application (ABBM)
The form you need is the Application for Ballot by Mail — abbreviated ABBM. Pick whichever source is most convenient; any of these is accepted by Bexar County.
Texas Secretary of State
The official state-issued form. Works for any Texas county, but you’ll need to look up the Bexar County return address.
Download (PDF) →Solicitud en español
La solicitud oficial de boleta por correo del Condado de Bexar, en español.
Descargar (PDF) →Accepted ID numbers on the ABBM
- Texas Driver License Number
- Texas Personal ID Number
- Texas Election ID Certificate Number
- Last 4 digits of your Social Security Number
- A signed statement that you have none of the above (rare, but permitted)
Submit the application
You have four ways to get your ABBM to the Bexar County Elections office. All four have the same deadline.
The deadline: Your application must be received — not postmarked — by the Bexar County Elections Department 11 days before Election Day. For the May 26, 2026 runoff, that’s Friday, May 15, 2026. If it arrives even one day late, it’s rejected.
By mail
Most common. Mail the signed original to Bexar County Elections.
Tip: Send 2–3 weeks early to beat the arrival deadline.
In person
Drop off the completed form at the Bexar County Elections office during business hours.
Address: 1103 S. Frio St., Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78207
By fax
Fax the signed form to the elections office.
Note: Original must follow within 4 business days (see below).
By email
Email a scanned copy of the signed form to the elections office.
Note: Original must follow within 4 business days (see below).
Where to send your ABBM
Mailing address
Bexar County Elections Dept.
1103 S. Frio St., Suite 100
San Antonio, TX 78207
1103 S. Frio St., Suite 100
San Antonio, TX 78207
Fax
(210) 335-0371
Phone for questions
210-335-VOTE (8683)
Common mistakes that get applications rejected
- Missing or mismatched ID number. The ID on your ABBM must match what’s in your voter registration file.
- Electronic signature. Your signature must be handwritten in ink. DocuSign-style e-signatures are rejected.
- Wrong mailing address. Your ballot will be mailed to wherever you list on the form — double-check it.
- Missing a qualifying category. You must check one of the 5 eligibility boxes. A blank box means a blank ballot.
- Filled out by someone else. Only you, your witness (if assisting with disability), or an Early Voting Clerk can fill it out on your behalf. Third-party submission of filled-out forms is restricted.
- Sent to the wrong office. Bexar County ABBMs go to the Elections Department — not to the state, and not to a political party.
Fill out and return your ballot
Once your ABBM is approved, Bexar County mails you a ballot packet containing: a ballot, a secrecy envelope, and a carrier envelope with instructions. Every piece matters.
Mark your ballot
Fill in the bubbles completely using a black or blue pen. No pencil. No highlighter. If you make a mistake, don’t cross it out — request a replacement ballot (see Step 3 below).
Seal it inside the secrecy envelope
Place your marked ballot in the smaller white envelope labeled “Ballot Envelope” (the secrecy envelope). Seal it.
Don’t skip this step: Ballots returned loose in the outer envelope can be rejected for a secrecy violation.
Place the sealed secrecy envelope in the carrier envelope
The carrier envelope is the outer envelope — pre-addressed to Bexar County Elections. Put your sealed secrecy envelope inside it.
Fill in the carrier envelope — completely
The back of the carrier envelope has a signature area with two required sections:
(a) Your signature, in ink, matching the signature on your voter registration.
(b) Your ID number — the same one you used on the ABBM (and on your registration). You can list both your driver’s license and last 4 of SSN for safety.
Most common rejection reason: missing or mismatched ID number on this envelope, or missing signature.
If someone helped you, they sign too
If you needed assistance because of a disability or language barrier, the person who helped you must fill in the “Assistant’s Statement” on the carrier envelope.
You can bring anyone you choose to assist, except your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer/agent of your union.
Return the ballot
You have three ways to return your sealed carrier envelope. See the table below for deadlines.
- U.S. Mail — postage is already paid. Mail early.
- In person — you may only hand-deliver your own ballot. Bring photo ID or a List B document + ID declaration.
- Commercial carrier (FedEx, UPS) — rarely used; deadlines are stricter.
When your ballot must arrive
Two different deadlines apply — depending on whether your envelope is postmarked. For the May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff:
| Return type | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unpostmarked (in person or no postmark) | Tue, May 26 — 7:00 PM | Must arrive at the elections office by close of polls on Election Day. |
| Postmarked by Election Day | Wed, May 27 — 5:00 PM | Grace period for USPS delivery. Postmark must show Election Day or earlier. |
| Military voter from abroad | Mon, Jun 1 — close of business | 6th day after Election Day. See Military & Overseas Voting. |
| Civilian voter from abroad | Sun, May 31 — close of business | 5th day after Election Day, with UOCAVA certification. |
Track your ballot
Bexar County runs a free online tracker. Check your ballot’s status from the day you mail your application until the day it’s counted.
Official tracker
Bexar County Mail Ballot Tracker
You’ll need your name, date of birth, and Texas driver’s license number or last 4 of SSN. Shows status at every stage.
Accepted
Your ballot is valid and will be counted. No further action needed.
Pending / Processing
Received but not yet reviewed. Keep checking — statuses update daily.
Rejected / Flagged
Needs correction. You may have 6 days to fix it — see below.
If something goes wrong
Even careful voters hit snags — a signature that doesn’t match, a ballot lost in the mail, a change of address. Here are your options.
My ballot was rejected. Can I fix it? (The “cure” process)
Yes — in most cases. Texas has a ballot “cure” process. If your ballot was rejected for a missing or mismatched ID number, missing signature, or mismatched signature, you have options:
- The county will notify you. Bexar County Elections must notify you within 2 business days of finding a defect — by mail, and by phone or email if they have that info.
- You can cure online. Bexar County may provide a secure online portal where you can submit corrected ID info. The tracker will show a link if it’s available for you.
- Or you can cure in person. Visit the Bexar County Elections office at 1103 S. Frio St. before the deadline to fix the issue.
- Deadline: Corrections must be completed by the 6th day after Election Day (for the May 26 runoff: Monday, June 1, 2026).
If you don’t cure by that deadline, your ballot is not counted. Check your status on the tracker starting a few days after you mail it.
My ballot got lost in the mail or ruined before I could send it
You can request a replacement (cancel & reissue) ballot as long as there’s time. Contact Bexar County Elections immediately:
- Phone: 210-335-VOTE (8683)
- Email: elections.mailballots@bexar.org
They’ll walk you through canceling the first ballot and issuing a new one. This is still subject to the mail-ballot deadlines — the earlier you call, the better.
I changed my mind — I want to vote in person instead
You can, but you must bring your unmarked mail ballot and carrier envelope to your polling place. Poll workers will cancel the mail ballot on the spot and let you vote in person.
If you’ve already lost or thrown away the mail ballot, you can still vote in person — but you’ll have to cast a provisional ballot, which gets counted only after elections staff confirm the mail ballot wasn’t returned.
I’m moving after I submit my application
Your mail ballot is mailed to the address you listed on your ABBM. If you move before it’s mailed, call the elections office immediately to update the address.
If you move after receiving the ballot, return it from your new address — the return address on the carrier envelope is what matters for delivery, not where it’s mailed from.
Be aware: a permanent move to a new county affects your registration. You may need to re-register in the new county.
When will my ballot actually be counted?
Texas law allows early processing of mail ballots starting a few days before Election Day, but official counting happens after polls close at 7 PM on Election Day. Results from mail ballots are usually reported in the first batch of Bexar County results that evening, with late-arriving postmarked ballots added to the canvass the following week.
Your tracker status will change from “Accepted” to “Counted” once it’s been tabulated.
Vote-by-mail FAQs
The questions we hear most. For more general voting questions, see the full FAQ page.
Who qualifies to vote by mail in Texas?
Texas limits mail voting to five groups. You qualify if any one of these is true:
- You’re 65 or older
- You have a disability or sickness that prevents in-person voting without risk to your health
- You’ll be away from Bexar County for the entire early voting period and on Election Day
- You’re confined in jail but still eligible to vote
- You’re expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
What’s the deadline to apply for a mail ballot?
Your Application for Ballot by Mail must be received (not postmarked) by the Bexar County Elections Department at least 11 days before Election Day.
For the May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff, the deadline is Friday, May 15, 2026. Mail early — a late-arriving application is always rejected.
Why do Texas mail ballots get rejected, and how do I avoid it?
The top three rejection reasons are:
- ID number missing or mismatched on the ABBM or on the carrier envelope
- Signature missing on the carrier envelope
- Signature doesn’t match the one on file from your registration
The simplest protection: provide both your driver’s license number and last 4 digits of your SSN on the ABBM and the carrier envelope. That way the county can match against either.
Can I hand-deliver my completed mail ballot?
Yes — but only your own ballot. Texas law prohibits anyone except a close family member or caregiver from carrying another voter’s mail ballot.
Bring photo ID (or a List B document and declaration if you don’t have photo ID) when you drop it off. Delivery is accepted at the Bexar County Elections office at 1103 S. Frio St. during business hours, early voting hours, or Election Day 7 AM–7 PM.
Can I give my filled-out ballot to a friend or neighbor to drop off?
Generally no. Texas restricts who can handle a completed mail ballot, and third-party ballot collection is limited to close family members, caregivers, or people living in the same household. The safest route is U.S. Mail or dropping it off yourself. Violations can carry criminal penalties for the person carrying the ballot.
What if I never received my ballot?
First, check the Bexar County tracker to see if it was mailed. If it was mailed more than a week ago and still hasn’t arrived, call elections at 210-335-VOTE.
If time is running out, you can always vote in person instead — just bring your mail ballot materials if you still have them, or be prepared to cast a provisional ballot.
Does my mail ballot get counted if I also vote in person?
No. Each voter gets one ballot. If you’ve already mailed your ballot and try to vote in person, you’ll be asked to cancel the mail ballot (by bringing it to the polls) or cast a provisional ballot — which is only counted if elections staff confirm the mail ballot wasn’t returned.
Can I vote by mail because of COVID-19 or a general concern about illness?
General concern about illness is not, on its own, a qualifying ground under Texas law. To apply under the disability category, you must have a physical condition (which may include susceptibility factors) that makes in-person voting a risk to your health.
The Texas Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that lack of immunity to a disease, alone, doesn’t qualify. But voters self-certify their eligibility, and no one can require you to document or prove a disability.
Still have questions?
Bexar County Elections is the official source for questions about your mail ballot status, the cure process, or address changes.