Of the voters who have already cast their ballots this year, 65.22% did so in-person and 5.66% voted by mail, according to data from Collin County Elections.
That voter turnout will go up as mail-in ballots continue to be delivered, and voters turn out in person to cast ballots on Election Day on Tuesday.
But already, early voter turnout this year has surpassed Collin County’s highest total voter turnout in the last two decades. Before this year, the highest total voter turnout during that period came in the 2008 General Election, when 70.11% of registered voters cast ballots. Turnout so far in this year's election is 70.88%.
Collin County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet has said it is not unusual to see total voter turnout upwards of 65% in a presidential election.
He said during poll worker trainings this season that the busiest days at the polls during early voting tends to be the last day. But like with many things in 2020, data show that this is not a typical election. In 2020, the first four days of early voting saw turnout that approached nearly 40,000 people. The last day of early voting saw only about 24,000 in-person voters across the county, records show. Election Day is Tuesday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Collin County voters may cast a ballot at any polling place in the county. For a list of polling places and wait times, visit Collin County Elections here.
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3. The nonprofit Vote America has released an online tool that tracks ballots that have arrived at elections offices across Texas. This will allow voters to check whether their mail-in ballot has been received.
Voters may bypass the U.S. postal service and return their mail-in ballots in person. Collin County election officials have set up a drive-thru drop-off location behind the election office at 2010 Redbud Blvd., McKinney, that will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 3.
Voters whose mail-in ballots have not yet been received may also cast a provisional ballot in person on Election Day. That provisional ballot will be counted if the mail-in ballot does not arrive at the county elections office by Nov. 4.
For more information about local elections, including candidate Q&As and sample ballots, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
Community Impact Newspaper will be reporting about the election throughout the day Nov. 3 and will post results as they come in once the polls are closed. Follow the coverage at www.communityimpact.com/vote.
