The deadline to apply for a ballot by mail is Oct. 23. To be eligible to vote by mail, voters must meet at least one of four requirements: being away from their county on Election Day and during early voting; being sick or disabled; being 65 years of age or older on Election Day; or being confined in jail but eligible to vote, according to the state.
In Collin County, election officials set up a drive-thru drop-off location behind the election office at 2010 Redbud Blvd., McKinney.
“We put it around back because it was competing with voters in the front of the building trying to park and vote,” Collin County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet said via email. “It really has worked out good because we have a large tent for them to drive through, show ID, sign a roster and hand us their ballot.”
The Collin County drive-thru drop-off location’s hours are:
• 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 15-16;
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 17;
• 1-6 p.m. Oct. 18;
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 19-24;
• 1-6 p.m. Oct. 25;
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 26-30;
• 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 2; and
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 3.
Denton County officials set up a portable building for mail ballot drop-off in the southwest corner of the parking lot of the elections administration building at 701 Kimberly Drive, Denton. Voters can drop off their ballots inside the portable building after showing identification and signing a roster.
“If a voter cannot physically enter the building, we have a phone number posted on the building they can call, and we’ll meet them at their vehicle to complete the process,” Denton County Election Administrator Frank Phillips said via email.
The Denton County drop-off location will be open the same hours as early voting in the county. Those hours are:
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 15-17;
• 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 18;
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 19-24;
• 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 25;
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 26-30;
• 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 2; and
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 3.
Sherbet noted counties can only accept a voter’s personal ballot, meaning people cannot deliver another voter’s ballot to the drop-off location.
Ballots can also be sent by mail. They must be postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, and received no later than 5 p.m. Nov. 4. Ballots can be dropped into the blue mailboxes at any U.S. Postal Service office or can be postmarked by walking into a post office and requesting a stamp. Ballots can also be mailed by FedEx and other reputable carriers.
