Voter Registration & Ballot by Mail

Voter Registration

To be eligible to vote in Hays County, you must:

  • be a U.S. citizen;
  • be a resident of Hays County;
  • be 18 years old (you may register at 17 years and 10 months);
  • not a convicted felon (unless a person’s sentence is completed, including any probation or parole);
  • not been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

NOTE: To be eligible to vote in an upcoming election, your application must be received at least 30 days prior to the posted election date. Download and complete a Voter Registration Application (Solicitud de Registro de Votantes).


Mail the printed, completed form to:

Elections Administrator

120 Stagecoach Trail

San Marcos, TX 78666

Early / Absentee Voting

Are you going to be out of town on election day or would you like flexibility with which day of the week you vote? Early voting is for you!

Early Voting Timeline

  • You may submit an application for ballot by mail throughout the calendar year, beginning January 1
  • Early voting in person begins 17 days before Election Day (12 days prior for May elections)
  • The last day to submit an application for ballot by mail is 9 days (11 days if Election Day is a Tuesday) before Election Day
  • Early voting in person ends 4 days before Election Day
  • Election Day marked early ballots by mail must be returned by 7 p.m. unless mailed from outside the United States

Learn How You May…

  1. Vote in Person - If you are eligible to vote on Election Day, you are eligible to vote at any early voting site during the early voting period. The lines are typically significantly shorter and the days and hours are more convenient. Early voting is open to all registered voters. Learn where you can vote!
  2. Vote by Mail - All currently registered voters of Hays County are eligible to request and receive a ballot by mail if any of the following criteria prevents them from voting in-person during the early voting period or on Election Day:
  • 65 years of age or older
  • Disability
  • Expected absence from the county during both the early voting period and on election day. The ballot must be mailed to an address outside the county.
  • Confinement in jail and not finally convicted of a felony

Submitting the Ballot by Mail Application:

  • In person: The applicant may submit his or her own application in person to the Early Voting Clerk until the early voting period begins. However, after the early voting period begins for an election, the applicant may submit their application only via mail or common contract carrier (not in person).
  • By mail:  You may mail your application via the U.S. Postal Service.
  • By common contract carrier: You may submit via a common or contract carrier which is a bona fide, for profit carrier (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.).

The request must include the address at which you are registered to vote, one of the above conditions for requesting a ballot, the address where you want the ballot to be mailed, and your signature. If the ballot is not to be mailed outside the county and not to the address at which you are registered, you must provide an explanation as to the nature of the address (e.g. nursing home, hospital, etc.).


Special conditions are available for persons who become hospitalized or suffer a death in the family after the close of the regular application deadline. Specific guidelines must be met to be eligible for an emergency ballot. Please contact our office for further information.


Ballot by Mail Tracker

You can track the status of your ballot by mail application or ballot through the Texas Secretary of State. Use this link.

Military / Overseas Voters

Overseas citizens and members of the U.S. military stationed outside their county of registration are eligible to use a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to request an absentee ballot. FPCAs are available from U.S. embassies, consulates, and the voting assistance officer at each military installation. An online version of the FPCA is available from the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website at http://www.fvap.gov/. The elections office can also provide the application via e-mail or regular mail upon request.

You are eligible to vote early with an FPCA if you are qualified to vote in Texas and you are:

  • A member of the U.S. Armed Forces, a member’s spouse, or a dependent;
  • A member of the U.S. Merchant Marine, a member’s spouse, or a dependent;
  • A U.S. citizen domiciled in Texas but temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States.

The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) is a form provided by federal law to permit members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Merchant Marine, their dependents, and U.S. citizens abroad to vote early by mail and, if necessary, register to vote.

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