I’ve written about this before, but apparently there are some rumors running around regarding voter registration cards.
The only voter ID anyone should need
Central Texas elections officials are warning against a rash of emails spreading false information about voter registration — an already confusing issue for many because of an ongoing battle over redistricting that has delayed every step in the election process.
The emails claim that voter registration certificates expired at the end of last year and that residents hoping to have a say in the election need to get registered quickly.
“Probably just incompetence, to allow this change without public notification,” one email says. “Until this year voter registration cards were automatically mailed to arrive before expiration, but that did NOT happen this year. That means you will have to go in and apply for a new one.”
Whoever wrote the emails is clearly misinformed, said Williamson County Voter Registration Supervisor Julie Seippel. New voter registration certificates have not been printed yet, because a date for the primary election has not been set. An ongoing court fight over redistricting affects voting precincts and where registered voters may cast ballots, hence the delayed primaries and the lack of new registration cards.
Counties, including Williamson, Travis, Hays and Burnet, have tried to get the word out about the confusion, sending out press releases and talking to the Statesman about the issue.
The Secretary of State’s office sent out a press release trying to clear up the confusion yesterday. Rich Parsons, a spokesman for the office, said they have received several calls and emails from confused Texans.
“All previously-issued voter registration certificates expired on December 31, 2011, but only the cards expired, voter registrations remain valid,” the release said.
Here’s a press release from the Harris County Tax Assessor’s office:
Revised Feb. 22, 2012 — Normally, in mid January of every even-numbered year, persons registered to vote in Harris County get their new voter certificate in the mail.
Not this year. The 2012 redistricting maps drawn by the Texas Legislature are in dispute and the matter is in the hands of the federal courts.
“My office cannot prepare and mail the new certificates until the court has approved the redistricting maps. Only after that can voters be assigned to the correct voting precinct,” said Don Sumners,
the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar. “Once the court has approved the redistricting maps, we will mail new voter registration certificates at the earliest possible date.”The Democratic and Republican party primaries have been delayed by the same dispute. Now it appears the primaries will be held no earlier than May 29.
“The delay in mailing the registration certificates will not interfere with anyone’s right to vote. I and my Voter Registration Department will support and protect the rights of every qualified voter. We will prepare and mail every certificate as soon as we can after the federal courts decide this case,” Sumners said.
“Look for a new certificate — yellow and white this year – soon after the decision is final,” Sumners said.
You know how I feel about Sumners, but he’s right. They can’t mail the cards until they know what the precinct boundaries are and what the maps look like. After we get maps, if you don’t get your card, feel free to call and raise hell. Until then, please be patient.
Who needs the card? Just show a government issued picture ID at the polls and vote. I haven’t carried a voter card in years.
It is August 28th and I have yet to receive my voter registration card. I had a name change, called the county and she instructed me to make changes online and my card would arrive within 6 weeks. I made changes back in March and still no voter registration card in my new name. Anyone experiening the same problem in Harris County, Texas? Thanks. Sara
***experiencing** I hope in my county one is not needed and I can show my license to vote. That would be ideal. ; )
@ Sara –
My husband and I moved and mailed in our changes over a month and a half ago and haven’t received anything yet. I went online to see if we were registered and maybe they got delayed in the mail. We don’t show up. SOMETHING is fishy… BOTH our cards got lost in the mail on the way or are they both sitting in the trash?
Does the address on your drivers license match the address on the registration you saw online? If so, then you can use your license to vote. I haven’t carried a registration to vote in 15 years.
If you aren’t shown as registered online, fill out another set of cards. If your DL address is wrong, get it changed and make the VR change at the same time.
Your cards could very easily have been lost. The USPS is not the most reliable bunch around. Of course there’s always the chance that a worker bee made it possible to leave early by stuffing a pile of applications in their purse or pocket, and they got tossed on the way home. I doubt it’s any kind of conspiracy to keep you from voting. I tend to look at these situations from a statistical standpoint. If they receive 100,000 applications, some percentage are going to be lost or entered incorrectly. You can never get the error rate to 0.
I also sent off for my voters registration card back in January of this year and it’s almost the end of October and NOTHING! I have a friend that lives less than 2 miles from me and she sent off for her card less than 2 months ago and she already received it, actually a wk. and a half ago! So I guess it’s just a guessing game here with Harris County then!