Tag Archives: Secretary of State

McMullin will “appear” on the ballot

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

To the extent that a write-in candidate “appears” on the ballot, anyway. Texas voters will be able to vote for former CIA operative Evan McMullin for president in November. The Texas secretary of state’s office on Friday certified McMullin, who … Continue reading →

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State accused of misleading on voter ID education outreach

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I know, I’m as shocked as you are. The federal government is accusing Texas of circulating “inaccurate or misleading information” to poll workers and would-be voters about relaxed identification requirements for the November elections. “Limited funds are being spent on … Continue reading →

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Texas begins its voter ID education outreach

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

For what it’s worth. Texas on Wednesday kicked off a voter education campaign ahead of the November elections amid heightened scrutiny of the state’s voter ID law. Under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and minority rights groups, … Continue reading →

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Independent candidate lawsuit update

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There’s already been a lawsuit filed by a wannabe independent candidate for President seeking to get on the ballot in Texas, but not by that guy you might have heard of. It’s still up in the air whether Evan McMullin, … Continue reading →

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How is the state going to do its voter ID education outreach?

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

You don’t need to know. Texas will spend $2.5 million to spread the word about changes to the state’s voter ID law before the November election, but will not release details of how that money will be spent. More than … Continue reading →

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Another Voting Rights Act violation alleged

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From Friday: Today, a coalition of 10 groups sent a letter to Carlos Casco, Secretary of State of Texas, requesting that his office take immediate steps to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1985 (VRA) and the Texas … Continue reading →

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Getting ready for the new voter ID universe

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a scramble. With roughly two months before early voting starts, Texas election officials are facing the difficult task of training thousands of poll workers and educating the public about court-ordered changes to a voter ID law – all while … Continue reading →

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Voter registration numbers keep increasing

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Always good news, though it’s hard to say anything definitive. County elections officials across Texas are reporting a spike in registered voters this election cycle, with one county now exceeding one million registered voters for the first time ever. Earlier … Continue reading →

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AG asked to investigate Hill County ballot irregularities

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Weird, but we’ll see. The Texas Attorney General’s office has been asked to launch an investigation into allegations that multiple people voted illegally in the 2016 Republican primary elections in Hill County, despite local officials’ claims that the discrepancies were … Continue reading →

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Two runoff recounts in the works

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not over yet in HD128. In a reversal, state Rep. Wayne Smith is now pursuing a recount in his narrow loss in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff. Deer Park attorney Briscoe Cain beat Smith, a longtime incumbent from Baytown, by … Continue reading →

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Meyers’ voter ID lawsuit gets appellate hearing

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I hope he gets to keep it going. [Court of Criminal Appeals Justice Lawrence] Meyers filed his state lawsuit in October 2014, while another legal challenge to the state’s voter ID law was pending in federal court in Corpus Christi. … Continue reading →

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Reps. Green and Green want investigation of voting machine shortage

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Two Houston congressmen are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether unequal distribution of voting machines and polling locations in Harris County disenfranchised minority voters during the March 1 primary … Continue reading →

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Greg Abbott does not approve of Robert Morrow

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Aw, that’s so cute. As the battle for control of the Travis County GOP heats up, and its newly elected chair writes increasingly raunchy tweets at breakneck speed, Gov. Greg Abbott has stepped into the fray to condemn his fellow … Continue reading →

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More on voting centers

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll be interested to see how this goes in Galveston. Just in time for the November election, Galveston County has launched the first mobile app of its kind in the state, called “Galveston Votes.” It uses GPS to direct people … Continue reading →

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Meyers voter ID lawsuit to proceed

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

An update on that other voter ID lawsuit. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Larry Meyers claims that the state’s voter ID law violates the Texas Constitution, and the court ruled that the case will proceed after rejecting defendants’ arguments … Continue reading →

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Voter ID may have had broader effects than we thought

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Texas’ strict voter identification requirements kept many would-be voters in a Hispanic-majority congressional district from going to the polls last November — including many who had proper IDs — a new survey shows. And the state’s voter ID law … Continue reading →

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Montgomery County “voter fraud” case update

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to hear this. The whole case is ridiculous. A self-described “egghead,” Jim Jenkins accomplished his dream by founding his own microsystems company. He also takes satisfaction in being a Christian conservative who is unabashedly proud of his 11 grandchildren. … Continue reading →

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SOS to review motor voter complaints

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I hope this amounts to more than lip service. The Texas Secretary of State has agreed to study why thousands of Texans have complained over the past year and a half that they had problems registering to vote despite a … Continue reading →

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Point/counterpoint on online voter registration

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Point. Texans can use www.Texas.gov for nearly 1,000 services, such as applying for concealed handgun licenses and driver records, and renewing driver licenses, vehicle registrations and many state-required professional licenses. It is time to allow Texans to use this proven, … Continue reading →

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Backlash anti-gay marriage bill heard in committee

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out bigotry has a price tag. House Bill 1745, by Rep. Cecil Bell (R-Magnolia), seeks to bar Texas officials from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples or recognizing their marriages—regardless of whether courts determine the state’s ban is unconstitutional. … Continue reading →

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Trying again with online voter registration

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

My State Rep., Carol Alvarado, would like for you to be able to register to vote online. Can I just state the obvious? Why can’t we register to vote online? I manage my banking online, I do my taxes online, … Continue reading →

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The backlash has begun

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Item one. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to void a marriage license issued to two Austin women who became the first same-sex couple to legally wed in the state. Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne … Continue reading →

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Voter registration numbers top 14 million

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Sweet. More than 14 millions Texans have registered to vote in the November elections, the secretary of state’s office announced Thursday, calling the number a record high. The total marks an increase of 2.8 percent since the most recent presidential … Continue reading →

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We need more mobile ID stations

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, from the League of Women Voters. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF TEXAS CALLS ON SECRETARY OF STATE TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE EFFORTS TO PROVIDE ELECTION IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATES AUSTIN, TX – “We are deeply concerned that eligible voters … Continue reading →

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HERO repeal hopefuls try another venue

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Conservative opponents of Houston’s equal rights ordinance have asked an appeals court to force the city secretary to certify the signatures on their petitions to force a repeal referendum on the November ballot. Equal rights ordinance critics filed a … Continue reading →

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HERO repeal effort falls short

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Too bad, so sad (not really). Opponents of Houston’s new non-discrimination ordinance did not get enough valid signatures to force a November repeal referendum, Mayor Annise Parker and City Attorney David Feldman announced Monday. “With respect to the referendum petition … Continue reading →

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What the Burnam case is about

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still not sure what to think about Rep. Lon Burnam’s electoral challenge against Ramon Romero in HD90. In a case that election officials statewide are monitoring — because it involves the use of electronic devices such as iPads — … Continue reading →

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Burnam files challenge in HD90

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. State Rep. Lon Burnam filed a lawsuit Monday challenging his 111-vote re-election loss earlier this month. Burnam, D-Fort Worth, said the goal of the lawsuit is to review data from the Texas House District 90 … Continue reading →

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BGT fires back

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Allegations that Battleground Texas broke the law during its voter registration activities are “entirely without foundation,” the Democratic group wrote in a letter to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Tuesday. Dewhurst, citing a secretly recorded video of … Continue reading →

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Yes, they fear what BGT is doing

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the proof. While saying it had received no complaint against the Democratic group Battleground Texas, the office of Texas Secretary of State Nandita Berry suggested Wednesday that the group’s voter registration practices might rise to a “potential level of … Continue reading →

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Wilson swears himself in

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Of course he does. Days after a Harris County judge signed a temporary restraining order barring Houston Community College trustee-elect Dave Wilson from taking the oath of office, the perennial candidate submitted notarized documents to the state showing he has … Continue reading →

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Who enforces voter registration requirements?

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

My guess upon reading this is in effect nobody. A combination of lax enforcement in the state’s election code, a faulty voter registration system and lack of leadership by state election officials have led to the disenfranchisement of thousands of … Continue reading →

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Early voting wrapup: Did we run out of early voters?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting is officially over, though a few more mail ballots will trickle in by tomorrow. Here are the final numbers, with the chart from Thursday being updated: 2013 2011 2009 2007 Here again is that look at turnout over … Continue reading →

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The problem with voter ID is more than just name matching

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Cindy George is correct about what isn’t a problem with voter ID. The names on your voter registration card and your ID must match. For the most part. They will be considered the same if they’re “substantially similar.” There have … Continue reading →

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