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With some major Texas elections right around the corner this November, a TPR listener had a question about voting by mail: How many stamps does it take to return that hefty ballot in Bexar County?
We reached out to Bexar County Elections Administrator Michele Carew, who says the postage for a mail-in ballot is $1.11 because of the envelope's size and weight.
But Carew says ballots mailed with just one first-class stamp will still be delivered.
"If they put one first-class stamp on it and mail it to us, it'll still get to us," she said. "The post office cannot return a voted mail ballot back to the sender."
The U.S. Postal Service confirms it delivers completed mail-in ballots even if they have insufficient postage. But voters should not take that chance.
Carew encourages voters to use the correct postage and return their ballots early.
The elections department says mail-in ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, or by 5 p.m. Nov. 4 if they're postmarked by the Election Day deadline.
It's also a good idea for voters to read the instructions carefully and ensure they have completed the steps required for their ballot to be processed.
For more information about how to ensure a mail-in ballot is complete, voters can visit the election department's Vote by Mail page.
Voters can also track their ballots by visiting the Bexar County Elections Department website.
In-person early voting begins Monday.
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