Join the We the Texans publication to obtain twice-monthly updates on our year-long initiative devoted to boosting civic engagement and chronicling how democracy is skilled in Texas.
FORT WORTH — A couple of remoted issues have punctuated a comparatively clean kick-off to early voting in Texas, election officers and voting rights activists stated.
Responding with outstanding velocity to squash misinformation, election officers in North Texas and Austin have repeatedly assured voters that tools works correctly and votes are recorded precisely.
In Tarrant County, Texas’ largest swing county, a voter claimed a printed poll didn’t replicate his choice for president. Movies of voters repeating the person’s declare — {that a} machine switched his vote — briefly circulated on social media.
Essentially, the county believes the person made the flawed choice whereas voting. After notifying officers, ballot staff canceled that poll and the voter was allowed to solid a brand new one. Because the incident, each the Tarrant County Elections workplace and the county decide have inspired voters to evaluation their decisions earlier than casting their ballots.
“Tarrant County Elections has no reason to believe that votes are being switched by the voting system,” the county stated in a information launch on Tuesday.
Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, a Republican, additionally chimed in.
“All voting methods in Texas are designed to present voters a possibility to evaluation their choices earlier than casting their poll,” Nelson stated in a press launch on Wednesday. “I encourage Texas voters to use this built-in opportunity to double-check the selections.”
Early voting started Monday, and the final day to early vote is Nov. 1. Throughout early voting Texans can vote at any polling location within the county the place they’re registered to vote. Election Day is Nov. 5.
A very powerful Texas information,
despatched weekday mornings.
Elections in Texas and throughout the U.S. have been below intense scrutiny for the reason that 2020 election, largely resulting from unfounded claims from former President Donald Trump and his allies who falsely declare he gained 4 years in the past. Within the years since, Republican legislatures together with Texas’ have rewritten legal guidelines within the identify of “election integrity.” Extra just lately, Texas Republicans led by Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton have with out proof raised considerations over noncitizens voting.
Voting rights activists have pushed again calling these modifications and features of assault “voter suppression.”
Emily French, a coverage director at Frequent Trigger Texas, a nonprofit that advocates for increasing voting rights, stated the group acquired 850 calls about voter points to their hotline inside the first 4 days of early voting, barely up from 804 in 2020. The principle points voters referred to as about included voter registration issues, considerations about political teams making an attempt to persuade voters to solid ballots for specific candidates standing nearer than the 100 toes requirement at polling locations and lengthy strains.
“I’m really pretty surprised to see this mid-week of early voting, still seeing long lines,” French stated.
French stated lengthy strains are commonest originally and finish of early voting, mid-week is a lull. Nonetheless, she pointed to a three-hour wait time at some Bexar County places on Wednesday, strains wrapped round buildings in Montgomery County and other people ready an hour within the 90-degree solar in Austin.
“Even as far as Odessa, we got a report of really long lines and fewer voting machines than in previous years,” she stated.
In Dallas County, the tablets ballot staff use to verify in voters, referred to as digital ballot books, had a number of glitches on the primary day of early voting. Ballot books have been displaying a black screens, repeated error messages and printing the flawed poll varieties for some voters — all of which contributed to lengthy wait occasions at polling websites. County officers say the issue has been fastened.
Texas has added 1.7 million registered voters since 2020, bringing the quantity as much as 18.6 million — probably the most the state’s ever had.
Regardless of the lengthy strains, statewide voter turnout was barely down this yr after the primary three full days of early voting in comparison with the 2020 presidential election, a Texas Tribune evaluation discovered. As of Friday morning, a minimum of 3.5 million Texans had voted early or turned of their absentee poll — about 19% of registered voters.
That pattern was mirrored this week in Hidalgo County the place early voting is down in comparison with 2020. A complete of 67,230 individuals voted early throughout the first 4 days of early voting this yr in comparison with 73,143 individuals who voted throughout the identical interval in 2020.
Regardless of the drop, Elections Administrator Hilda Salinas stated the turnout has been “amazing.”
“It’s exciting because we’re seeing these types of numbers,” Salinas stated.
Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections
-
When is the subsequent election? What dates do I must know?
-
What’s on the poll for the overall election?
Decrease-level judges and native county places of work may even seem on the poll:
– Numerous district judges, together with on felony and household courts
– County Courts at Regulation
– Justices of the Peace
– District Attorneys
– County Attorneys
– Sheriffs
– Constables
– Tax Assessor-Collectors -
How do I ensure I’m registered to vote?
-
What if I missed the voter registration deadline?
-
What can I do if I’ve questions on voting?
- Learn extra
She added early voting there has gone easily however inspired anyone to succeed in out if that they had any questions.
Again in Fort Value, voters stated they confirmed as much as vote early this week regardless of the state’s Republican management.
Paul Johnson, 81, stated he’s voted early for years to keep away from crowds. Within the months main as much as the election, Johnson stated he heard Gov. Greg Abbott’s rhetoric round noncitizens voting and linked it to the historical past of voter suppression and intimidation that has lengthy focused each Black and Latino communities.
In late August, Abbott claimed that the state had eliminated greater than 1 million ineligible voters from its rolls, together with greater than 6,500 noncitizens. A Texas Tribune investigation with ProPublica and Votebeat discovered the latter quantity was possible inflated.
“I think [Gov. Abbott] has an agenda to eliminate minority voters. That’s the plan they have,” he says.
Jaye Taunton, additionally 81 and a lifelong Fort Value resident, has all the time voted early. She stated fear-mongering shouldn’t be a purpose to take a seat out of what she sees as a vital civic responsibility. She recalled the sacrifice of earlier generations of Black People and others who fought for the precise to vote.
“Don’t be fearful. Come out and vote. Your vote is your voice,” she stated. “That’s all you have.”
Disclosure: Frequent Trigger and Texas Secretary of State have been monetary supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan information group that’s funded partially by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Monetary supporters play no function within the Tribune’s journalism. Discover a full listing of them right here.
