stateoftexaslogoMilitary and overseas voters are now able to request blank balloting materials for the November 2 election to be sent to them by email, following new rules put in place by the Texas Secretary of State.

“A large number of our United States Military Forces call Texas home,” said Secretary Andrade. “It is of upmost importance to me and my office that these brave men and women have the opportunity to participate in our nation’s democratic process. I am pleased that these new rules modernize the process to ensure the secure and expedited transmission of ballots and I encourage our military and overseas voters to take advantage of these new simple voting procedures.”

In accordance with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, the State of Texas has adopted new administrative rules that make it easier for military and overseas voters to access the absentee voting process. Included are provisions which allow military service members temporarily residing outside their county of residence, as well as United States citizens residing overseas, to request blank balloting materials to be sent to them by email as well as the establishment of a ballot tracking system allowing military and overseas voters to determine the status of their ballot.

When a voter submits their Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), they may specify that a blank ballot be sent to them via email. Voted ballots must still be returned through regular mail, unless they are sent from a designated war zone and are eligible to be returned by fax. For more information, voters may visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website or call FVAP at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683).