Selene Bocanegra Tizapan EDINBURG—Today marks the start of early voting for the 2024 Election Cycle; running from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1.
The Election Administrators for both Hidalgo and Cameron County answered voting questions such as what you need in order to vote, where to vote, and how to vote by mail.
Hilda Salinas, Hidalgo County election administrator, provided a list of eligibility criteria to vote by mail in Hidalgo County.
Voters are eligible to vote via mail if they are expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day, absent from the county of registration during the Early Voting period and on Election Day, confined in jail but otherwise eligible, or civically committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
Remi Garza, Cameron County elections administrator, said if a Cameron County resident is eligible to vote by mail the county will mail the ballot to their place of residence.
He gave two examples of those who may be eligible.
“An individual who’s going to be out of Cameron County, somebody who is 65 years or older, or somebody who has a disability,” Garza said.
According to Garza, voters in Cameron County can request an application for “Ballot by Mail” by calling (956)-544-0809 or by visiting Cameron Counties website at cameronvotes.com.
Garza added that after meeting eligibility criteria to vote by mail, an applicant can cast the mail in ballot to the Cameron County Department of Elections and Voter Registration at 1050 E. Madison St. in Brownsville.
If an applicant resides in Hidalgo County, Salinas said voters could send a mail in ballot to 213 S. Closner Blvd. in Edinburg or by faxing to (956)-393-2039. The applicant can also email the ballot to: co.hidalgo.tx.us
“But please keep in mind that if you decide to email it or to fax, that we do need to have the original [mail in ballot] here in our office within four business days,” Salinas said.
Garza then went on to explain how every poll had been made accessible for their voters with disabilities.
“But if you have special circumstances, we ask that you contact our office just so we can make sure that we have accommodation that can facilitate it,” Garza said. “We do have ADA compliant machines at each of the polling locations that if they need help reading the ballot or seeing the size of the font on the ballot, or even if they’re unable to read the ballot themselves.”
A reminder for those who are eligible to vote by mail, make sure to have a valid form of identification, such as a Texas State ID or an Election Identification Certificate.
If a helper is used, the person’s name and place of residence must be written next to the applicant’s signature. Oct. 25 marks the deadline to apply to vote by mail.
If a voter meets eligibility criteria for Ballot by Mail, voters may submit a mail in ballot to the following locations:
Cameron County
Cameron County Department of Elections and Voter Registration
1050 E. Madison St.
Brownsville
(956)-544-0809
Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County Elections Department
213 S. Closner Blvd.
Edinburg
Office: 956-318-2570
Fax: (956)-393-2039
