Don’t panic. Check your status, but anything can be fixed for now.
Still the only voter ID anyone should need
Multiple headlines recently have fueled confusion among Texas voters who have been placed on the state’s suspense list.
Voters on the suspense list can still vote. Despite its name, being placed on the suspense list does not mean a voter’s registration was suspended, canceled or that the voter was removed from the voter roll.
The list is made up of registered voters whose local election officials have reason to believe they may no longer live at the address they used to register to vote. Texas voters move every day, and they often don’t update their address on their voter registration record.
Alicia Pierce, a spokesperson with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, said the number of voters on the suspense list now — 1.2 million out of more than 18 million registered voters — is consistent with what the state has seen in previous election cycles.
Voters on the suspense list can confirm their address by contacting their local voter registrar ahead of the Oct. 5 voter registration deadline and filling out a new voter registration form with their updated address. Voters can also update their address at the polls.
[…]
By law, if a county voter registrar “has reason to believe that a voter’s current residence is different from that indicated on the registration records,” the voter registrar “shall deliver to the voter a written confirmation notice requesting confirmation of the voter’s current residence,” according to the secretary of state’s office guidance.
Every two years, each county voter registrar mails a new voter registration certificate to all active voters, a move required by law to keep the voter roll up to date.
If the U.S. Postal Service returns the certificate as nondeliverable, the voter registrar must then confirm that the voter still lives at that address.
That’s when a voter is added to the suspense list.
A voter registrar mails a notice of address confirmation to voters when:
- The voter’s registration certificate has been returned as nondeliverable.
- A jury summons or any mailing sent to the voter was returned as nondeliverable.
- The voter registrar has received information indicating the voter no longer resides at the address on file. For example, parents can notify their voter registrar if their children have moved or a voter themselves can call the voter registrar to say they no longer live at that address.
Although some county election officials had trouble mailing voter registration certificates in December due to issues with the state’s voter registration and management system, the certificates were mailed out ahead of the primary election earlier this year.
You can check your voter registration status at VoteTexas.gov. But county voter registration lists are managed by county election officials, who have the most up-to-date information about your voter registration record. When in doubt, contact your county voter registrar directly. You can find a list and contact information by county here.
If you voted in the primary or in May or in any of the special elections this year, you’re fine. If you’re on the suspense list, you just have to fill out a new voter registration form, with your new address. That means printing it and mailing it in, so don’t wait around, but that’s all you have to do. And even if you don’t do that in time, you can still vote, you’ll just have to fill out some extra paperwork afterward, to fix your address.
So don’t panic. Is there other skullduggery going on with the intent of creating chaos and undermining the election? Yes, but so far none of that has had any official effect. For now, go about your business. For sure, check your registration status and encourage others to do so, especially if you’ve moved recently and haven’t voted this year. But don’t panic. Anything can be fixed for now. The Chron has more.
Updates can be done online at the Texas SOS elections portal if I’m not mistaken. Worth checking out for anyone in this situation.
Voting regularly is the best way to avoid such lists.
It’s possible I misplaced my latest certificate, there is an old one in the place it should be.
Checked the SOS page and appears to be clear. (I have lived at this address >10 years). So, even though it all *looks* fine, this whole convo still gives me the jeebies. Esp since I am in a not-entirely friendly county.
And, I am for-sure Not a Language Expert, but am I the only one whose ears are choking on “suspense” list?
After moving, mailing your vehicle registration to the tax office with the appropriate changes to both residence and mailing addresses is the best way to be sure your addresses are updated. Registering your vehicle some other way may not get it done.