October 23 is the final day county early-voting clerks in Texas may receive regular applications for a ballot by mail for the November 3 general election, according to VoteTexas.gov, the official voter-information site of the Texas Secretary of State. The site states: “For the November 3, 2026 Election, the last day your ABBM can be received by your Early Voting Clerk is Friday, October 23, 2026.”

Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)

The distinction that matters today is receipt, not mailing. Under Texas election rules, an application must reach the appropriate county office before the close of regular business or noon, whichever is later, the Texas Public Record reported. A postmark dated October 23 is not enough if the application arrives after the deadline.

Source: Texas Public Record

Fri, Oct 23last day clerk can RECEIVE a mail-ballot application
Nov 3Election Day; mail ballot must be received by 7 p.m. if not postmarked
Oct 19–30in-person early voting period in Texas
Oct 29mailed original due if ABBM was emailed/faxed on Oct 23 (4th business day rule)

Who can vote by mail in Texas — and how to apply today

Texas allows voting by mail only for voters who meet specific eligibility requirements, including voters 65 or older, voters who are sick or disabled, and voters who will be out of their county for all of early voting and Election Day, according to voter guides citing the Secretary of State. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, common or contract carrier, email or fax, VoteTexas.gov says — but if you fax or email your application, you must also mail the original so the clerk receives it no later than the fourth business day after the clerk received the faxed or emailed application.

Voters who apply by mail must include an ID number on both the application and the ballot carrier envelope — a Texas driver's licence number, Texas state ID number, the last four digits of their Social Security number, or an Election ID Certificate number — according to the Texas Democratic Party's vote-by-mail guidance, which recommends including both an ID number and the last four SSN digits to reduce rejection risk. That guidance is party-published voter help, not an official ruling; the official rules are on VoteTexas.gov.

After you apply: return deadlines

A completed mail ballot must be received by the county by 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, if it is not postmarked, or by 5 p.m. the next business day after Election Day if it is postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day, according to VoteTexas-aligned voter guides. Early voting in person runs October 19 through October 30, and voters who later decide to vote in person may surrender their mail ballot at the polling place and vote a regular ballot instead.