MASS EMAIL (CEO/PARTY CHAIRS): Advisory No. 2024-01and Advisory No. 2024-02

TO:  Texas Election Officials and Party Chairs

FROM: Elections Division, Texas Secretary of State

SUBJECT:  Advisory No. 2024-01: Instructions and Deadlines for Mailing/Emailing Ballots Under the Federal "MOVE Act" for Overseas Voters and Advisory No. 2024-02: Procedures for Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots (FWABS) from FPCA Voters and Voters in Hostile Fire Pay and Combat Zones

DATE: January 15, 2024

Dear Election Officials and Party Chairs,

As a reminder, the deadline to mail ballots to military or overseas voters who already submitted their ballot requests via a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) or via a standard Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) is Saturday, January 20, 2024.  Please note that although the deadline falls on a Saturday, it does not extend to the next business day.  Therefore, we recommend mailing your ballots by Friday, January 19, 2024.  If the Early Voting Clerk cannot meet this 45th-day deadline, the clerk must notify the Secretary of State within 24 hours.

To that end, our office has released the following advisories.

Advisory No. 2024-01: Instructions and Deadlines for Mailing/Emailing Ballots Under the Federal "MOVE Act" for Overseas Voters

Advisory No. 2024-02: Procedures for Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots (FWABs) from FPCA Voters and Voters in Hostile Fire Pay and Combat Zones

When posted these advisories will be located on your Conducting Elections pages.   

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. 

Thank you,

Heidi Martinez

Managing Attorney – Elections Division

Office of the Texas Secretary of State

1019 Brazos Street | Rudder Building, 2nd Floor | Austin, Texas 78701 1.800.252.VOTE (8683)

elections@sos.texas.gov | www.sos.state.tx.us/elections

The information contained in this email is intended to provide advice and assistance in election matters per §31.004 of the Texas Election Code.  It is not intended to serve as a legal opinion for any matter.  Please review the law yourself, and consult with an attorney when your legal rights are involved.

If you have any questions regarding this e-mail, please e-mail elections@sos.texas.gov