A report from the Dallas Morning News from early August that 1.2 million registered voters in Texas currently hold a suspended status ahead of the midterm elections is stirring things up on social media platforms.
The deadline to register for the midterm elections is Oct. 5
According to information the Morning News obtained from the Secretary of State’s Office, Texas currently has 17,746,985 registered voters, so a figure of 1.2 million would represent about 6.8 (6.76) percent of voters.
FUN FACT: 0.413% of Texas’ registered voters live in Tom Green County.
Reporter’s Notebook
Locally that figure is quite a bit higher, according to Tom Green County Elections Administrator Vona Hudson, there are 73,314 people registered to vote here, with 7,928 voters currently in suspense, which works out to 10.81 percent of that total.
Hudson explained that this is all part of the normal process they go through with every two-year election cycle.
Answering a few questions via email on Monday, Hudson said if a voter’s registration is suspended, generally it’s because voter certificates mailed out earlier in the year have been returned to the office as “undeliverable” after someone moves without updating their information.
“Anyone that is not sure of their registration status is encouraged to call us at 325-659-6541 and we can verify that they are registered.
“It is always important to ensure that, if they have moved, that we have them at the address where they currently live, and I strongly urge everyone to be cautious about emails, texts, etc. because there is so much going on.
“It is better to contact the local office or state to verify their information.”
Hudson said that, by law, they do not randomly send out blank mail applications for voter registration, and if someone has received something like that, it’s most likely from a candidate or political action committee.
She also said anyone using such a form should be very cautious about where the application is mailed, making sure it only goes to the local election office or the Secretary of State in Austin, and the local office is the best place to mail it since it will be processed more quickly.
The mailing address for voter registrations is:
Voter Registrar, 113 W. Beauregard Ave., San Angelo, TX, 76903.
What About Ballots by Mail?
Hudson said with all the changes and proposed changes, it’s not surprising if anyone is confused about the rules for mail-in voting.
Hudson said anyone who wishes to vote by mail, and who qualifies to vote by mail under Texas law, will need to apply for a ballot, and be careful when completing the form.
“It is critical that they complete the application in its entirety,” she said. “Including the required ID number in block 1. The original must be delivered to our office either in person, by mail, or by contract carrier. The deadline to apply is Oct. 23 but everyone is encouraged to apply as soon as possible due to the time it takes for things to travel through the post office.”
A link to the application can be found on their website under the forms link.
Hudson wants to remind voters that ballot-by-mail applications are only valid for one calendar year.
“If a voter applied earlier in the year and marked “Annual” in the section about what elections they wanted to receive a ballot for, they should be set up to receive a ballot in November. Again, they can contact our office to verify they are set up for the ballot,” Hudson said.
According to Hudson, some applications were recently mailed by an outside group lacking enough places to record the Driver’s license/ID properly. It contained only four digits for the driver’s license or identification number, and the full eight-digit number is required. She said the group has since mailed a postcard to recipients stating the application it sent was incorrect with plans to mail new blank applications.
Also of note: The office can only take requests from the actual voter. They are forbidden from allowing someone else to request a form for them.
What if you find out your registration is suspended on Election Day?
Don’t Panic!
You can still vote — you’ll just have to confirm your address by signing an affidavit first.
