The following is from the County Clerk’s office:
THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON BALLOT-BY-MAIL REQUESTS FOR THE MARCH PRIMARY ELECTIONS
Houston, TX, – The last day eligible registered voters may submit a ballot-by-mail request for the upcoming Primary Elections is Tuesday, Feb. 23rd. The request must be in the Harris County Clerk’s Office by the deadline, not merely postmarked.
“It is anticipated that Harris County voters will participate in the 2010 Primary Elections in rates which are commensurate to the importance of the proceedings because of the number of contests on the ballot”, said Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman, the chief elections officer of the County, as she urged eligible voters to take advantage of the ballot-by-mail option and vote in the Primaries.
According to the County Clerk, this year there will be 149 contests on the Democratic Party Primary Ballot. Of those, 75 are contested elections, including 34 precinct chair positions. In the Republican primary there will be 171 contests and 5 propositions. Of those, 84 are contested elections, including 50 precinct chair positions.
With three weeks left before the ballot-by-mail application deadline for the 2010 primary election cycle, the Harris County Clerk’s office has responded to 19,483 ballot-by-mail requests, including 11,999 in the Republican primary and 7,484 in the Democratic Primary. In 2006, the last non-presidential year primary elections in Harris County, the Clerk’s office responded to 21,097 ballot-by-mail requests, included 15,680 in the Republican Primary and 5,417 in the Democratic Primary.
In Texas, voting by mail is available to registered voters who are 65 years of age or older and those who are not physically able to make it to a poll because of illness, disability, confinement or travel outside the County during the time which coincides with the beginning of the in-person early voting period and ends on Election Day.
The law affords eligible registered voters several ways to submit a ballot-by-mail request:
1. All ballot-by-mail requests may be submitted by regular mail to P.O. Box 1148, Houston, TX 77251-1148 or by common or contract carrier to 1001 Preston, 4th Floor, Suite 440, Houston TX 77002).
2. In-County ballot-by-mail requests may also be submitted in person but only before the beginning of early voting by personal appearance.
3. Harris County registered voters who find themselves outside the county during the early voting period and on Election Day may also submit a ballot-by-mail request by fax (713.755.4983).
4. An American citizen whose domicile is in Harris County and is temporarily residing overseas has the additional option of submitting a ballot-by-mail request via Federal Postcard Application by electronic mail.
For more information regarding the ballot-by-mail process or to obtain an application, voters may visit www.harrisvotes.com or call 713.755.6965.
I pass this along partly as a public service, and partly to note the partisan trends from 2006 to 2010. Make of them what you will.