Election Information

Rules for Voting by Mail

An application must be submitted in writing and signed in ink - electronic signatures, photocopied signatures, or signatures in pencil are NOT allowed. Election officials may not distribute mail-in ballots or an application for a mail-in ballot to anyone who did not submit a request for an application. Early voting applications must include the applicant's driver's license number or Department of Public Safety-issued personal identification number (DPS PIN). An applicant without a driver's license or DPS PIN must declare that and include the last four digits of their social security number. If a voter uses a different number on the application and ballot, the ballot will be rejected.

McLennan County registered voters are eligible to request and receive a ballot by mail if any of the following conditions prevents them from voting in person during the early voting period or on election day:

1. 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.)
2. Disability
3. 65 years of age or older
4. Confinement in jail and not finally convicted of a felony.
5. Be expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.

Instructions for submitting an Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM):

1. Print the ABBM form.
2. OR submit an order online and an ABBM will be mailed to you.
3. Complete Sections 1 through 8.
4. Sign and Date Section 10.
5. If you are unable to sign the application and someone witnessed your signature, that person must complete Section 11.
6. If someone helped you complete the application or mailed the application for you, that person must complete Section 11.
7. Affix postage.
   1. If you printed the application you must place it in your own envelope and add postage.
   2. If you ordered the application online and it was mailed to you - fold the application in half, moisten the top tab, seal, and add postage.
8. Address and mail the completed ABBM to the Early Voting Clerk: 214 N 4th Street, Suite 300, Waco, TX 76701; You may also fax the application: to 254-757-5041; You also have the option of emailing the McLennan County's Elections Division a scanned copy of the completed and signed application. If an ABBM is faxed or emailed, the original hard copy of the application must be mailed and received by the early voting clerk no later than the 4th business day.

Completed and mailed applications can be tracked by clicking the BALLOT BY MAIL TRACKER to track your ballot. 

On August 10, 2016, a federal district court entered an order changing the voter identification requirements for all elections held in Texas after August 10, 2016, until further notice. As a result, voters who have obtained an acceptable form of photo identification for voting listed below are still required to present it in order to vote in person in all Texas elections. The acceptable form of photo identification may be expired for up to four years.

Voters who have not been able to obtain one of the forms of acceptable photo identification listed below, and have a reasonable impediment or difficulty in obtaining such identification, may present a supporting form of identification and execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration, noting the voter's reasonable impediment to obtaining an acceptable form of photo identification, and stating that the voter is the same person on the presented supporting form of identification.

This requirement is effective immediately.

Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:

1. Texas driver's license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
2. Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
3. Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
4. Texas license to carry a handgun issued by DPS
5. United States military identification card containing the person's photograph
6. United States citizenship certificate containing the person's photograph
7. United States passport

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 4 years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place.

Read more about the Texas Secretary of State - Elections Division.

To run for City Council, a candidate must file for office within the posted filing period. In addition, see below for qualifications outlined by the City of Bellmead Charter and the State of Texas Election Code.

Bellmead Home Rule Charter Qualifications

• Must be a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bellmead for at least the previous 2 years.
• Must be at least 18.
• Must not be delinquent on any indebtedness to the City.
• City employees are not eligible to file.
• May not hold any other elected public office.
• Candidates may only file for one office per election.
• Texas Eligibility Requirements for Public Office

Citizen of the United States

• 18 years old
• Have not been determined mentally incompetent by a final judgment in court
• No felony convictions
• Resided in the state continuously for the previous 12 months
• Must satisfy any other eligibility requirements prescribed by law for this office

Adopted in 2002, the Help America Vote Act requires that provisional ballots be offered to:

1. Any voter that declares that they are a registered and eligible voter of the precinct in which they are appearing; and
2. Any voter whose eligibility is called into question by an election official, e.g., shown to have voted early by mail. 
3.  A voter who does not provide an acceptable form of identification. 
4. A voter whose name on their identification is not substantially similar to the name on the official list of registered voters. 
5. A voter whose identity cannot be verified by the identification presented. 
6. A voter who has received a disability exemption under Section 13.002 of the Election Code, but does not have a voter registration certificate indicating such exemption. 
7. A voter whose name does not appear on the list of registered voters and does not have a registration certificate, but states they are a registered and eligible voter of the precinct.
8. A voter who has applied for a ballot by mail, but has not yet properly cancelled the mail ballot application. 
9. A voter who votes during the polling hours that are extended by a state or federal court.
10.  A voter who is registered to vote but attempting to vote in a precinct other than the one in which the voter is registered. 
11. A voter who is on the precinct list of registered voters, but whose registered residence address is outside the political subdivision for which the voter is seeking to vote. 

Texas law echoes the federal requirements, but also adds that a voter may vote provisionally if they do not have the required photo identification.

If the voter is not appearing on the list of registered voters, the election worker should inform the voter that the ballot will be counted if it is determined they are a registered voter of the precinct. 

If the voter is casting a provisional ballot due to lack of an acceptable or supporting ID, the election worker should inform the voter that the ballot will only be counted if the voter appears at the voter registrar’s office and shows an acceptable ID (List A or List B), or executes a temporary affidavit (if applicable) or permanent exemption (if applicable).

The voter registrar MUST complete their review of the Provisional Ballot Affidavit Envelopes no later than the sixth day after election day. (This includes Provisional Ballot Affidavit Envelopes for ballots cast on a DRE.) – Poll watchers are not entitled to be present during the voter registrar’s review.

The voter registrar SHALL review information from the following sources to attempt to determine a provisional voter’s status: 

1. The voter registrar’s own county voter registration files and records; 
2. The Department of Public Safety; 
3. Volunteer deputy registrars; 
4. Other records that may establish the provisional voter’s eligibility (ex: responses to Notice of Address Confirmation or a Statement of Residence)

The Early Voting Ballot Board shall review both the election judge’s and the voter registrar’s notation on each Provisional Ballot Affidavit Envelope to determine whether or not the ballot should be counted.

The presiding judge of Early Voting Ballot Board may convene the board as soon as practicable after the voter registrar has begun delivery of the provisional ballots.  The presiding judge MUST post notice on the bulletin board used for posting notices no later than 24 hours before the board is scheduled to meet. The board may convene while the voter registrar continues their review

A provisional ballot may NOT be counted for the following reasons: 

1. If the election judge indicated the voter did not provide an acceptable form of identification AND the voter did not present an acceptable form of identification to the voter registrar by the sixth day after election day; 
2. If the voter voted provisionally due to having an outstanding mail ballot that has not been cancelled; 
3. If the voter has already voted; 
4. If the voter registrar indicated that the provisional voter is not registered to vote in the territory or the registration was not effective in time for the election; 
5. If the voter registrar indicated that the provisional voter is registered to vote in a different precinct other than the one the voter voted in; 
6. If the election judge indicated the voter was on the list of registered voters, but the voter’s registration address is outside of the political subdivision; 
7. If the voter registrar indicated that an incomplete application was received from the provisional voter but the additional information was not returned

A provisional ballot MAY be counted for the following reasons: 

1. If the voter failed to submit identification at the polling place, but the voter registrar indicated the voter presented an acceptable form identification at the registrar’s office within six days after the election; 
2. If the voter claimed they never received their mail ballot, or they wish to cancel their mail ballot, and the voter’s mail ballot has not already been received by Early Voting Ballot Board;
3.  If the voter registrar indicated that the voter is registered to vote but was erroneously listed in the wrong precinct; 
4. If the voter was erroneously removed from the voter registration list and is otherwise qualified to vote;
5. If the voter registrar has information in the office that the voter did complete an application, and the voter is otherwise qualified.

Notice of Outcome to Provisional Voters: Not later than the tenth day after the local canvass, the presiding judge of Early Voting Ballot Board shall deliver written notice to the provisional voter regarding the outcome of their provisional ballot. (Form 9-9) – If the provisional ballot was counted – If the provisional ballot was NOT counted, the reason the ballot was not counted. The presiding judge shall use the information provided on the Provisional Ballot Affidavit Envelope to obtain the proper mailing address and final resolution of the provisional ballot.

If the provisional ballot is to be counted using optical scan:

1. The manager of the central counting station shall decide whether the Early Voting Ballot Board shall manually count the ballots and manually add to the computer count for a canvass total; or 
2. Whether the central counting station shall reconvene.

If Central Count Reconvenes:

Prior to beginning the count at central count, the manager shall run the required second logic and accuracy test. – The test must be successful. Once the ballots have been counted, the results shall be prepared in the regular manner. The manager shall prepare a certification and attach it to the returns, and place the certification and returns in envelope #1 to be delivered to the presiding officer of the canvassing board. After the count is complete, the manager shall run the required third logic and accuracy test. If the test is not successful, the count is void.