Texas 'voter suspense' list climbs past 2 million as election gears up: report
As the presidential contest draws nearer, Texas faces pivotal elections including a Senate race — and the number of people whose voter registrations are on the "suspense list" has now topped 2.1 million, according to The Dallas Morning News.
If you are a voter in Texas and on that list, it doesn't mean you won't be able to vote, the paper stressed — but it does mean there are potentially some extra obstacles.
"Suspense means your county does not know your address or thinks you moved, often because a voter registration card or jury summons sent through mail is returned as undeliverable," wrote Sarah Bahari. "New voter registration cards are mailed every two years to the most recent address on record. If you do not receive a new yellow and white certification card this year, it could mean you moved without updating your address."
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Voters can check their registration status through the state's elections portal. If they are suspended, they can update their address online before the registration deadline Oct. 7.
But even if they miss that deadline, show up to the polls, and their registration is in suspense, they can still vote, Bahari emphasized.
"First, you will be required to fill out a 'statement of residence' form, which should be available at every polling location. That form will be used to update your voter registration, and you’ll be removed from the suspense list. If you have moved to a separate county, you will be required to vote in your previous county or submit a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is used to record a vote when there are questions about a voter’s eligibility that must be resolved before a vote can count" — and it will be counted as long as the voter shows up to the county registrar's office with proper ID.
This comes as Republican lawmakers in Texas consider yet more ideas to make it harder to vote, including a potential end to "countywide" polling places.