How to make sure your mail-in ballot is counted in Texas

The COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over safety at polling places are causing more people to send in ballots via mail this year.

In turn, due to cutbacks with the United States Postal Service that could cause delays, and the fact that mail-in ballots can take longer to count, there are additional fears for many over whether their ballots will be received and counted in time.

For those who have mailed in a ballot before the election, who are concerned about it arriving at the clerk’s office, the state of Texas has a simple way of monitoring.

Visit this website and you can check on the status of your ballot by inputing the following information:

• Your last name
• Your date of birth
• Your county of residency

The deadline for the state to accept mail-in ballots is by 5 p.m. Wednesday if postmarked on or before Election Day.