Complete Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot
Fill out the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation and Ballot
The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot allows voters who have requested their ballot by their state deadline but not received it to vote. Texas allows you to use this form for voting in any general, special, primary, or runoff election for Federal office. You may not need to fill out this entire form. Check out the instructions below to see what information your state requires.
Open Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot
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What do I fill in?
Only the following blocks of the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation are required:
Block 1.a: Select the category that describes you.
Block 1.b: Texas does not allow you to use this form for registration. Do not check this box.
Block 2.a: Name (Last, First, Middle); Block 2.e: Date of Birth
Blocks 2.f and 2.g: Enter your valid Texas Driver's License number, personal identification number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, or your state voter registration number.
Block 3.a through 3.e: Complete street address of your Texas voting residence. A post office box is not sufficient. If your address includes a rural route, describe its location in Block 6. This address must be different from the one provided in Block 4 and must be within the county where you claim legal voting residence.
Block 4.a: Enter your current mailing address. It must be different from the address you provided in Block 3.
Block 5: Enter your political party affiliation if you want to vote in primary elections.
Block 6: Provide any information that may assist the local election official in accepting this ballot or application.
Block 7: Sign and date. No witness or notary required.
Completing your ballot:
Texas allows you to use this form for voting in any general, special, primary, or runoff election for Federal office. For each office for which you vote, write in either a candidate's name or a political party designation.
Put Voter's Declaration/Affirmation and Voted Ballot into Envelopes
Once the ballot is complete, fold and place it in the security envelope and seal. Place only the voted ballot in the security envelope and do not write on the security envelope. Insert the sealed security envelope and the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation into the mailing envelope and seal.
Optional: You may print this template on your security envelope
Open Security Envelope Template
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Optional: You may be able to use this postage-paid envelope template
Open Postage-Paid Envelope Template
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The postage-paid envelope may be used in the U.S. postal system which includes: all U.S. Military Post Offices (APO/FPO) overseas or through the diplomatic pouch available at U.S. Embassies/Consulates
Submission Options
You must mail your back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot to a specific election official. Find your county or city in the address list below to locate your election official.
Open Election Official Address List
Don't know your county? Go to the county finder. Don't know your zip code? Go to the United States Postal Service website.
If you choose to fax, you MUST also sign and mail this ballot
Fax
Texas allows you to return the voted ballot by fax if you are a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty overseas, or the spouse or dependent of the member, and you are casting the ballot from an area in which members of the Armed Forces are eligible to receive hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay, or that has been designated by the President of the U.S. as a combat zone.
If you choose to fax, it is recommended that you fax the form directly to your local election official (fax numbers can be found on Texas' Election website). You may also use our toll-free fax service:
Inside the U.S.? Fax to:
1-800-368-8683
(703)-693-5527
DSN 223-5527
Outside the U.S.? Show me a list of toll-free fax numbers
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Follow-up
- Check the "Important Dates" section at the top of this page for deadlines.
- Want to submit your Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot by fax? Remember that by faxing your voted ballot you are waiving your right to secrecy.
- If you receive your state absentee ballot after submitting your Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, fill it out and return it. The state absentee ballot will be counted instead of the back-up ballot if it's received in time.