I NEED HELP VOTING PLEASE!

[Th1onein]

I live in Texas, am a registered voter in Texas. But I'm in Ohio and will not make it to Texas to vote. I know that this is absentee voting, but I've never voted absentee and have no earthly idea how to do it.

Could someone please explain this process to me as if I'm a four year old? And, if possible, I need as much as possible to be done online. I'm in a strange place and don't know my way around.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Here's the link to Texas voter guide for absentee ballots. You have until 10/30.

http://www.longdistancevoter.org/texas

[Glitterati]

2. Absentee ballot

Here you go.
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml

[Tennessee Gal]

3. Call you local (Texas) election commission and ask the question.

Whether or not you can vote by absentee ballot may hinge on the reason you are out of state and cannot make it back.

If you are eligible, they may help you request an absentee ballot.

[Gothmog]

6. Being out of the county is an acceptable reason to vote by mail

Here are the requirements that allow one to vote by mail. http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml

To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must:

be 65 years or older;
be disabled;
be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or
be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.

[sharp_stick]

4. Here you go

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml

You need to print the PDF form fill it out sign it, date it. Then stuff it in an envelope and mail it to your county early voting clerk find him/her at this site:

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/county.shtml

They will then mail you a ballot.

Or, even easier

fill out the online form:

http://w03web.sos.state.tx.us/vrrequest/bbm.asp

and they will mail you a ballot that you fill out and mail back to the same early voting clerk at:

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/county.shtml

[Th1onein]

7. I chose the "even easier" route. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

When I get this ballot in the mail, how do I find out which precinct I'm in?

[sharp_stick]

8. Sorry I screwed Up

Filling out the online form only gets you the application sent to you by mail.

Your best bet is to print out the application here in pdf form.

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/pol-sub/5-15f.pdf

Then mail this to your county clerk found here:

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/county.shtml

They will them send you the ballot.

[gkhouston]

10. If there's a website for your county clerk, you should be able to confirm that you're

registered and see what your precinct is online.

[Gothmog]

12. Ballot should say but you can check

You can check which precinct you are in by going to the Secretary of State's website https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/voterws/viw/faces/SearchSelectionVoter.jsp You can use this application and you will see which precinct you are registered to.

[Gothmog]

5. You want to vote by mail.

The vote by mail procedure is simple. First go to this link on the Texas Secretary of State web page and print a request for an application to vote by mail. http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/pol-sub/5-15f.pdf Complete this application and then you mail the completed application to the Early Voting Clerk of your county. Here is a link to the names and addresses for all Early Voting Clerks in Texas http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/county.shtml You have to specified the address where you want the ballot to be sent.

Please read the instructions on the ballot. You have to sign the envelope in the correct place before mailing the envelope with your ballot to the Early Voting Clerk.

Please PM me if you have any questions

[gkhouston]

11. ^^^ This. Signing the envelope in the correct place is *important*. n/t

[Gothmog]

13. This is very important

Each county has a board called the Early Voting Ballot Board that checks all ballots by mail. This board is made up of members from both political parties and I understand that this board can get into some fights. I just finish recruiting the Democratic members for my county's board. I have talked to a member of the Harris County Early Voting Ballot Board and the Harris County board does try to count each vote but sometimes the fight gets a little partisan. The best way to protect your vote is to be careful about where you sign.

[johan121]

9. Spam deleted by Warren DeMontague (MIR Team)