The Harris County Clerk’s Office reported Monday that they’ve hit a record number of votes by mail for a primary runoff election.

As the last week of the Early Voting Period for the July 2020 Primary Runoff Elections gets underway, the Harris County Clerk’s Office reports a record number of votes by mail for a Primary Runoff.

In the first week, a total of 79,818 voters cast their ballots. Of those, 65% voted by mail.

In the same time period in March, 39% voted by mail. The number of mail ballots has increased due to a surge in voters 65 years of age and older who are opting to vote from home.

In early June, the County Clerk’s Office proactively sent mail ballot applications to every registered voter aged 65 and up in Harris County due to concerns related to COVID-19.

“If you have received your mail ballot, I encourage you to cast your ballot and return it to the election office as soon as possible. Voters who are not able to vote by mail should take advantage of the last few days of early voting,” said Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins. “We encourage all eligible voters to participate in our democracy by voting and making your voice heard. I personally visited all 57 early voting centers during the first week of Early Vote to ensure that all locations are following safety protocols and to thank poll workers for all they are doing to keep voters safe.”

All voting centers have been set up to allow for social distancing, and poll workers have been provided with personal protective equipment including gloves, face masks, and shields. Sanitizing stations are set up at all polling sites, and voters are being provided with finger covers to use while voting. Additional face masks are available for voters who do not have one.

Clerk Hollins visited all 57 early voting centers across Harris County, including Texas Southern University, where he cast his vote on Thursday, July 2.

Early voting ends Friday, July 10. On July 10, all voting centers will remain open until 10 pm to allow voters with family and work obligations to cast their ballots and have their voices heard.

You can visit HarrisVotes.com/WaitTimes to find the nearest voting center to you and check wait times.

For more election information, visit HarrisVotes.com and follow @HarrisVotes on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.