On April 15, Texas state trial judge Tim Sulak ruled from the bench that all registered voters may ask for an absentee postal ballot this year, due to the health crisis. Texas Democratic Party v Debeauvoir, Travis County civil district court.
Texas law only permits voters to use an absentee postal ballot under certain conditions.
Early voting by mail is possible under TEC 82.002(a). “A qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail if the voter has a sickness or physical condition that prevents the voter from appearing at the polling place on election day without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring the voter’s health.”
The district judge likely interpreted lack of immunity for COVID-19 as a physical condition that increased the likelihood of injury to the voter’s health.
Texas messed up and scheduled the special election (open primary) for SD-14 on the same date as the segregated primary runoffs for the two grifter parties. It is a criminal offense for a Libertarian or Green voter to vote in a primary runoff. They may inadvertently do so if voting in the special election.
Also separate applications for mail ballots are required for either of the primaries and the special election.
Please note “absentee ballot” is an archaic term for “vote by mail”.