2022 brings Ballot by Mail changes

Passed in 2021, Senate Bill 1 poses a lot of changes for voters, including Grimes County voters this year. One of those changes affects voting by mail or Ballot by Mail.

Grimes County Elections Administrator Lucy Ybarra said her office is doing what it can to keep voters informed of the changes. “Applications for Ballot by Mail must be renewed yearly, but most people either don’t know that or they forget, so we try to remind our voters that cannot vote in person of their responsibility to renew by mailing out letters each year letting them know their application has expired,” explained Ybarra.

The 2021 legislative sessions contained a lot of turmoil and discussion for Texas government, with Election integrity being a top topic. Ybarra said while Elections in Texas, Grimes County included, undergo state inspections, changes from Senate Bill 1 will make Texas Elections, specifically Ballot by Mail steps, even more secure.

Some of the changes within Senate Bill 1

• Voters must now specifically request a Ballot by Mail application, which can be done in person, over the phone, fax or email. Ballot by Mail Applications must be renewed starting Jan. 1, although not new, serves as a reminder to voters that if they want to vote in the March Primary, they need to complete their application quickly.

• Expecting mothers, or recently delivered - Now if a woman is expected to give birth within 3 weeks of or after Election Day, these women can also request an application for Ballot by Mail. “This is a change that we really appreciated for elections, people forget that childbirth is still a serious medical procedure, and with widespread pandemic issues, this allows us to offer an additional way to help these women vote.” said Ybarra.

The following grounds may be used by an eligible voter who wishes to vote by mail:

• Age 65 or Older – Voter will be 65 or older on election day.

• Disability or Confinement for Childbirth – Voter has a sickness or physical condition that prevents the voter from appearing at the polling place OR voter is expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after election day.

• Absence from County of Residence – Voter will be absent from county of residence during early voting and on election day.

• Confinement in Jail – Voter is an eligible, registered voter but is confined in jail at the time their application is submitted.

• Involuntary Civil Commitment – Voter is civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code at the time their application is submitted.

Ybarra noted changes to the Ballot by Mail application will also ask for additional information from each voter applying to receive a ballot in the mail. The form, updated by the Texas Secretary of State to meet new requirements, will require documentation of the voter’s identity. The voter will need to complete a section asking for either their Texas Driver’s License or Identification Card number, or the last four digits of the voters Social Security Number. “If this required information is not completed, the Grimes County Elections office will have no other option but to deny the application and send out a notice to the voter for lack of required identifying information,” she said.

There are also areas for additional voter information like the voter’s unique identifying number (VUID) and voting precinct, this information is optional and will not disqualify an application if left blank. The voter will also be asked to document the address that the ballot will be mailed to, and elections staff will be required to compare this to their address on their voter registration application.

While some opposed to SB 1 view the additional information as voter suppression, Grimes County does not. “Our goal is to provide safe and secure voting for Grimes County, part of this is correctly identifying each voter whether it’s in person or via a Ballot by Mail Application, and so far, we have been successful. These changes give us an additional way to protect our Elections,” explained Ybarra.

Elections in Grimes County and across Texas are not far away, with the 2022 March Primary kicking off with early voting beginning Feb. 14 through Feb. 25, and Election Day Tuesday, March 1. The deadline to apply for a Ballot by Mail for the Primary election is Feb. 18. Voters can request applications for Ballot by Mail after this date for additional elections held throughout the 2022 year. It’s important to note, that not every voter qualifies for an annual application, and may need a Ballot by Mail for a short period of time while they are traveling outside of Grimes County. The application provides specific space to note dates when the voter will be out of the county and what temporary address to mail the ballot to.

If you wish to request a Ballot by Mail Application, you can request it via multiple avenues: Email, elections@grimescountytexas.gov; online: www.grimescountytexas.gov/page/Elections; Fax: 936-873-2083; Phone: 936-873-4422, 936-873-4425; or in person at the Grimes County Courthouse, 100 S. Main Street in Anderson.