Do You Know Someone Who Would Like to Vote by Mail?
Forward this Email to Them!
Note: Given the many last-minute changes imposed by Governor Abbott, we recommend you vote in person if at all possible. However, if you need to vote by mail, or have already applied to vote by mail, please read this information carefully.
If you are a Collin County registered voter, you can vote by mail if:
- You expect to be absent from the County during both the early voting period and election day;
- You have a disability;
- You are 65 years of age or older; or
- You are confined in jail and not finally convicted of a felony.
Note: Fear of COVID-19 alone does not qualify as a disability under state law. The decision to apply to vote by mail because of a disability or physical condition is your own (subject to a correct understanding of the law) based on your current health conditions and health history.
If you have not already applied to vote by mail, we recommend you vote in person unless the alternative is not voting at all. If you need to vote by mail, the deadline to apply to vote by mail is Friday, October 23. Your signed application must be received by the Elections Department Friday, Oct. 23 by 5pm. You must download and print the application, complete and sign it, then FAX, EMAIL, or DROPOFF the application at the Elections Office.
For an application submitted by fax or email to be effective, the original copy of the application MUST also be mailed and received by the Elections Office by the fourth business day after it was faxed or emailed. (Texas Election Code 84.007, effective Dec. 1, 2017.)
After faxing or emailing the application, mail it to: Collin County Early Voting Clerk, 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069
About the voting by mail process
- After you have submitted a valid application to vote by mail, you will receive a mail-in ballot in the mail, when they are sent out unless the Collin Elections Department contacts you directly.
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When you receive your ballot, follow the instructions. In particular, make sure to sign the vote by mail ballot envelope the same way you signed your vote-by-mail application. the signature on the ballot envelope MUST MATCH the signature on your application if your vote is to count.
- You can return your completed mail-in ballot two ways:
- Simply mail it back (with postage) to the Collin County Elections Department, 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069, or
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Drop it off in person at the Collin County Elections office during voting hours (7am-7pm now through Oct. 30, except on Sunday (1p-6p), Nov. 2 from 8am-5pm (no voting), and Election Day Nov. 3, 7am-7pm. You do not have to go inside, there is now a drive-through drop-off, located behind the building, open during the same hours voting locations are open. You must show your ID. You can only take your own ballot.
Important:
* Only one first-class stamp is required on when mailing in your ballot.
** Only one ballot may be put in an envelope. Example: if you put your ballot and your spouse’s in the same envelope, it is likely that one or both of the ballots will not count.
*** Seal the return envelope, then sign the envelope. If you sign and then seal the envelope, you will obscure part of your signature and make it more difficult for officials to validate your signature and count your ballot.
We strongly recommend you fill out and send in your ballot as soon as you receive it.
VOTE BY MAIL FAQ
Q. "I applied for a vote-by-mail ballot, but I have not yet received it, what should I do?
A. You can call the Elections Department at 972-547-1900 to make sure you are on the list to receive a mail-in ballot. The mail-in ballots were delayed this year, but all mail-in ballots requested by about October 15 have been mailed out. If you haven’t received yours or wait a little longer and still do not receive one, go vote in person. If you are on the vote-by-mail list and do not have your mail-in ballot with you at the polls, you will have to cast a provisional ballot. Your provisional ballot will be counted once the Elections Department confirms you did not also send in your mail-in ballot.
Q. "I voted by mail in the Primary Runoff, will I automatically get a ballot for November?"
A. Yes, you should, but you can verify by calling the Elections Department at 972-547-1900.
Q. "When are mail ballots being sent to us?"
A. Starting in late September the Elections Department will begin mailing out ballots to those who have registered to vote by mail.
Q. "I'm confused. I voted by mail in the Primary and assumed I would get my November ballot in the mail, but I received another Vote-By-Mail Application in the mail. Do I need to complete it?
A. There are several groups, including the Texas Democratic Party, that are sending out vote-by-mail applications to voters. If you have previously applied to vote by mail and are certain you will be getting a mail-in ballot, you can discard this application. If you are not sure, you can follow up with the Elections Department at 972-547-1900.
Q. "How do I know if my vote counts?"
A. Every morning after the previous day of Early Voting, the list of voters is available for anyone to view on the Collin County Elections Website. (It is a large spreadsheet and might take a long time to download. Once you have the list, you can search for your name.).
Q. "What if I request a mail in ballot and then decide I want to vote in person?"
A. You can still vote in-person, but bring your mail-in ballot with you to the polls. You will then turn in your mail-in ballot at the polling center and they will then let you vote in person. If you do not take your mail-in ballot with you, you will be allowed to vote a “provisional ballot,” which will be counted on or after Election Day once the Elections Department confirms you did not also send in your mail-in ballot.
Q. "Can I drop off my ballot at a vote center?"
A. No. Mail-in ballots cannot be dropped off at the polls. The only place they can be submitted in person is at the Collin County Elections Department office, 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069. See above for drop off hours.
Q. "Can my spouse and I send our ballots back in the same envelope?"
A. No. Each ballot must be sent in its own return envelope, which must be signed by the individual voter.
If you have additional questions, you may contact our Collin County Democratic Party Elections Team at elections@collindemocrats.org or call 972-578-1483.
