Texas Residency

Having a permanent residence address in Tarrant County is a prerequisite to requesting ballots from Tarrant County. Residence is defined in Section 1.015 of the Texas Election Code as the voter’s permanent home to which he or she intends to return after any temporary absence. This definition implies that you must have lived at the location at one time and intend to return, so generally you cannot list a location where you have never been physically present.

U.S. citizens whose most recent domicile was in Tarrant County, but whose intent to return is uncertain may vote a federal ballot only. Voters in this category must indicate in the “Remarks” area of the FPCA that they are applying for a federal ballot only.

How to Obtain the FPCA Form

Postage-paid FPCA forms are available from U.S. embassies, consulates, and from the Voting Assistance Officer (VAO) at each military installation.  An interactive online FPCA application is also available through the Overseas Vote Foundation:

•  https://texas.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/home.htm

An online version of the FPCA form is also available from the website of the Federal Voting Assistance Program:

•  http://www.fvap.gov/resources/media/appendix_f.pdf

Completing the FPCA

• The last 4 digits of your Social Security number OR your Texas driver’s license number is required for voter registration in Texas.
   
• You must provide your political party preference in Box 5 of the FPCA form if you wish to vote in Primary elections. Party preference is not required if you are requesting by-mail ballots for general elections only.
  
• It is strongly recommended that FPCA applicants provide an e-mail address, telephone number, and/or fax number (if available) in the appropriate sections of the FPCA so that we can quickly contact you if your application is missing required information.

Submitting the Completed FPCA Form

A completed FPCA form must be submitted to the Elections Department by mail, common contract carrier, or by fax. If submitting the FPCA by fax, you must also send the original form to us by mail. Please note that unlike the cardstock version of the FPCA, users of the online FPCA must place the printed form in an envelope and affix postage. At present there are no provisions to allow for submission of the FPCA through the Internet or by e-mail. Please return your FPCA to:

Mailing Address:                     Tarrant County Elections
   PO Box 961011
   Fort Worth, Texas 76161-0011

Express/Courier Delivery:    Tarrant County Elections
   2700 Premier St.
   Fort Worth, Texas  76111-3011

Fax:                                           (817) 831-6118

The Federal Voting Assistance Program also provides assistance in faxing FPCA forms from locations outside the United States. See this website for more information:  http://www.fvap.gov/contact/toll-free-fax/index.html

Dates for Submitting the Completed FPCA

In order to receive a full ballot, the FPCA application must be received by the Elections Department or postmarked no later than the 20th day before election day. Also, the applicant will receive a full ballot if the FPCA is submitted after the 20th day before election day and before the 6th day before election day AND the applicant is already registered to vote in Tarrant County.

An FPCA applicant will receive a federal ballot ONLY if the FPCA is submitted after the 20th day before election day and the person is NOT already registered to vote in Tarrant County.

Receiving Your Ballot

If your completed FPCA is timely received, your ballot will be sent to you by mail. Texas law does not allow you to receive the blank ballot by fax or e-mail (with the exception below).

Exception for certain members of the Uniformed Services:  For the November, 2008 general election, Tarrant County is participating in a pilot program to e-mail blank ballots outside the United States to military voters.  If you already have a ballot request on file with Tarrant County and have not received the official ballot, beginning on September 20, 2008 you may send an e-mail to our office (votebymail@tarrantcounty.com) and request that a blank ballot be e-mailed to you.  You must print the blank ballot and mail it back to the county in the regular manner (see the section below on Returning Your Voted Ballot).  You may NOT return the voted ballot by e-mail.

To qualify to receive your blank ballot by e-mail, you must:

·      Be a member of the Uniformed Services and already have a ballot request on file with the Elections Department;

·      Provide a current address that is located outside the United States;

·      Provide an e-mail address that contains the voter’s name and that ends with the suffix “.mil”.

·      Request an e-mailed ballot via e-mail to our office (votebymail@tarrantcounty.com) beginning September 20, 2008 and no later than October 28, 2008 at 5:00 p.m.

Returning Your Voted Ballot

Your voted ballot must be returned by mail or by common or contract carrier (certain exceptions apply – see “Faxing your ballot” below).

Your voted ballot must be received no later than 7:00 PM on election day, except that a ballot cast from outside the United States may be counted if it was mailed before the polls closed and it is received not later than the fifth day after election day. The envelope in which the ballot is returned must be properly addressed with postage, sent from an address outside the United States, and bear a cancellation mark from a postal service or a receipt mark from a common or contract carrier before 7:00 PM on election day. It will be presumed timely received if there is no postmark or receipt mark but all other requirements are met.