You may have heard about the “purge” that removed thousands of people from the voting roll in Texas, including El Paso County.
The process is routine, with state and federal laws requiring states maintain their voter rolls up-to-date, including by removing people who are ineligible to vote, moved out of state, or have died.
Some voters are put on “suspense” status when the voter registrar receives information that the person has changed their address. Those on suspense status are removed from the voter rolls if they fail to update their information and don’t vote for two consecutive election cycles.
With the Texas voter registration deadline fast approaching – Monday, Oct. 7 – now’s the time to verify your status to ensure you’re eligible to vote in the Nov. 5 elections.
How do I check if I’m registered to vote?
The El Paso County Elections Department website features a “My Voter Dashboard” where you can easily check if you’re registered to vote.
Go to epcountyvotes.com/voter-information/dashboard
Enter your name and date of birth (You can also instead enter instead your VUID – Voter Unique Identifier located on your voter registration certificate)
Click “search”
Your voter registration status will appear as “eligible to vote,” “suspense” or “not found.” Contact the election’s office at 915-546-2154 for help resolving any issues.
The dashboard will also provide information such as your voter ID number, registration date, voter precinct, voting history, sample ballot, voting locations and more.
As an alternative, you can also check the Texas Secretary of State’s voter portal.
What if I’m on suspended status?
If your status is listed as suspense, it’s likely because your name or address changed or the elections office received returned mail from you. Here is why the voter registrar may have reasons to believe that a voter’s current residence is different from that indicated on the registration records:
The voter’s registration certificate has been returned as non-deliverable
A jury summons is returned as non-deliverable
Any mailing that was sent to the voter was returned as non-deliverable
The voter registrar has received information indicating the voter no longer resides at the address on the voter’s record.
How do I change my name and/or address on voter registration rolls?
Online: If you’re already a registered voter, you can update your address online before 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 through the Texas Secretary of State.
In person: Visit the election’s office at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse, 500 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 314. The office is open 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday to Friday.
By mail:Using old certificate: Sign your name and list your address on the back of your old voter registration certificate. Place it in an envelope with appropriate postage and mail to El Paso County Registrar of Voters, 500 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite #314, El Paso, Texas 79901.
Without old certificate: Complete, date and sign a voter registration application; fold, seal, and mail to: El Paso County Registrar of Voters
500 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite #314, El Paso, Texas 79901
Can I still vote if I’m on the suspended list or don’t appear on the rolls?
Voters on the suspended list can fill out a Statement of Residence Form at the polling site.
If you don’t appear on the voter rolls, you can cast a provisional ballot, which will be reviewed and verified – but there’s no guarantee your ballot will be counted. That’s up to a ballot board, which determines if you’re eligible and your ballot valid.
What can I do if I was wrongly removed from the voter roll?
If you were removed and are still eligible to register, you would need to do so by the Oct. 7 deadline. Here’s everything you need to register to vote.
The post How to verify your voter registration status in El Paso appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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