I want a paper ballot, a receipt and a secure ballot.
Bexar County has a touch screen electronic voting system and, except for ballots by mail, there are no paper ballots available. Because the State of Texas has yet to certify any system with a receipt, there is no receipt available for Bexar County voters. When the vendors present such a system, and it is certified, Bexar County will evaluate it for consideration and implementation in the county.



If I dont want to vote on the touch screen, can I just get a paper ballot or a ballot by mail?
You may request a ballot by mail if you are 65 or older, disabled, in a nursing home, confined to jail, or expect to be out of the county for the period of the election. If you are going to be absent from the county, you must provide an out of county address to mail the ballot to. Not wanting to vote on the touchscreen system is not a valid reason for ballot by mail.



How do I vote straight party in a General Election?
In the General Election you may vote for a straight party by selecting that option on the touch screen ballot just as you would vote for any candidate. This will give you a vote for all candidates of the party you indicate. If there is an election contest in which no person from that party is on the ballot, then no vote for that contest is cast.

Also, please remember that a straight party vote will not cast a vote for any non-partisan candidate (school district, water district, etc) or for any proposition on the ballot. Each of those will have to be voted separately on the ballot.



Can I vote for anybody in the other party after I've selected straight party ticket?
You can vote for anybody in another party at any time. If you vote straight ticket, you can change that vote for any candidate in another party by simply selecting another candidate as you check each screen in the election. Your individual vote will always override the straight party ticket.

If you do intend to vote a mixed ballot, be sure and check your selections when you get to the review screen. This will help you make sure you have voted for the candiates of your choice.



What should I do if I think I received the wrong ballot?
If you think you got the wrong ballot, then check with the poll site election judge immediately. You can always get a new ballot right up until the time you push the red vote button to cast your vote. Once you have done so, you cannot receive a new ballot. Again, if you think you have a problem with the ballot, notify the election judge immediately.



How do I correct an error if I make a mistake?
Each time you make a candidate selection, that choice is highlighted on the voting unit. If you make a mistake in selecting a candidate, you can always change your choice by touching the same name to un-select the choice; or you may simply touch another candidate's name and it will be highlighted instead. If you have any other questions, ask the election judge for assistance and in all cases, review your selections carefully when the review screen is displayed a the end of the ballot.



Do I have to vote for all election contests?
You do not have to vote for all election contests. You may vote for as many or as few as you wish. It is your choice.

If you vote a straight ticket for any party, your selections will only be made for that party and not for any election in which no one from your party choice is on the ballot.

Please remember that a straight party vote will not cast a vote for any non-partisan candidate such as a school district, water district or for any proposition on the ballot. Each of those will have to be voted separately on the ballot.



How do I make sure my vote is recorded?
As you vote, make your choices carefully. When you have finished voting, you will have the opportunity to review your choices on a review screen. At that point, the red vote button at the top of the screen will be flashing. After you are satisfied with your ballot choices, touch the flashing red button and your votes will be cast and recorded inside the voting unit. Your votes will remain secure in the voting unit until election officials retrieve the votes for tabulation.



How does the Bexar County voting system help people with disabilities?
The Bexar County voting system meets requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and was certified by the Sate of Texas accordingly. Specifically, the unit allows voters who are severely visually impaired or blind to vote in the same manner as all voters. There are instructions and a recorded ballot for voters to follow. Also, the unit is set up so that a voter may receive curbside voting if they are physically unable to enter the poll site. The elections judge will qualify the voter as standard procedure, and, if the voter is qualified, may bring the unit to the voter a the curbside to complete the voting process.



What happens if I want to vote a Provisional Ballot?
A voter may vote a Provisional Ballot if they are not on the voter list during early voting or on election day, or if there is a question about their identification. Voting a Provisional Ballot is not an option if you are a registered voter on the list where you vote in an election. A Provisional Ballot is an option intended for voters for whom there is a question about their registration or identification.



How soon can I find the results of the election?


At 7 p.m. on election day, the Elections Department will release the results of early voting and they will be posted on the Bexar County Elections Website. When the polls are closed on election day, the poll site results are printed on a tape and posted at the individual election day poll site. You may view the results there. After the election judge completes all poll site closing tasks, then that tape is taken to a regional sending site and the poll site results are transmitted to the tabulation center. Results are released from the tabulation center throughout the election night and are updated periodically on the website as the election results are reported.



What about write-in candidates?
In some cases, write-in candidates are allowed in election contests. Write-in candidates must be declared write-ins and must have filed in accordance with the general rules for applying for a place on the ballot.

If there is a write-in line on the ballot contest, then a write-in vote is permitted. However, write-in votes may be counted only for names appearing on a list of declared write-in candidates. If there is a declared write-in candidate, the name of the candidate, by election contest, will be posted in the individual voting booths.