Do you remember what identification number you used when you registered to vote? No one does, and that number should not prevent you from voting by mail. The latest mail ballot application debacle could be foreseen when the Texas Legislature persisted in making our complicated voting system even harder. Despite a smooth 2020 election, our Legislature enacted ever more restrictive voting laws.
The issue at stake here is a new required voter ID on the application. Voters must provide their Texas driver's license number or Texas ID number. If they do not have one of these, they provide the last four digits of their social security number. The tricky part is found on the back of the application in the fine print: “If you have been issued one of the required numbers, but it is not associated with your voter registration record, please contact your local registrar to inquire about how to add one of the required numbers to your voter registration record.”
Applications are being rejected due to a new law that requires the voter ID on the application and the ballot to match the voter ID provided when voters registered to vote. Who remembers that number? A ballot by mail is mostly used by voters over the age of 65 and persons with disabilities. These vulnerable communities are going to be disenfranchised by this new law when many have been voting by mail for years with no problem.
John B. Scott, the Texas secretary of state, stated in a recent press announcement that he was “
surprized” to learn of the massive rejection numbers reported by various counties. There should be no surprise. The League of Women Voters of Texas and many other voting advocates warned the Legislature about the anticipated consequences of the new voting law during the legislative session. The League also warned the Secretary of State’s office many times since December about the lack of up-to-date voter education information on the secretary of state’s website
votetexas.gov.
The Legislature passed this law complicating our voting process. State leaders, such as the secretary of state, should not blame county election officials for the high number of vote-by-mail applications being rejected. It is the secretary of state’s job “as Chief Election Officer for Texas” to assist county election officials and ensure the uniform application and interpretation of election laws throughout Texas.
We applaud a related new law that allows voters to
track your ballot online. Yet the vulnerable communities whose applications for a ballot by mail are being rejected might find little comfort in the new online tool. The online tracker also requires voters to provide voter ID numbers and presumes internet service.
Blame your legislators for the confusing new voting laws. Blame the secretary of state for not updating the public-facing votetexas.gov website. But don’t blame your county election official, and certainly not the voters who depend on voting by mail to get their voices heard. Demand that state leaders review the mail ballot application process and provide explicit instructions to county election officials and voters to mitigate the massive rejection numbers. For now, share trusted voter education resources found at
LWVTexas.org and call lawyers at Election Protection at 866-687-8683 if you need help or your application for a ballot by mail has been rejected.
Grace Chimene is the president of the League of Women Voters of Texas.
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