If you’ve been on social media the past few days, you’ve likely seen posts that claim something nefarious is going on with voter registration in Texas.
The posts started after Texas news organizations reported on data from the Texas Secretary of State’s Office on the number of state voters on what is known as the “suspense list.” Missing from much of that media coverage – and the social media fallout – was key context: this is a routine part of the Texas voting process, and the number of registered voters who are on the suspense list is down from previous elections.
Being on the suspense list doesn’t mean a registered voter can’t cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 general election. And getting off the list is fairly straightforward. However, if you’re on the suspense list for two years, your voter registration will be canceled.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the suspense list?
The suspense list is required by Texas law. Registered voters move frequently, often without notifying the local elections office, as required by law.
The process is meant to ensure voters get a proper ballot for their new address if they moved within the same county, or that they be disallowed from voting in that county if they no longer live there.
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“The suspense list is mostly made up of registered voters who have received an official election mail piece from us and we then send a follow up letter if that mail piece is returned. If we don’t receive the second mail piece confirming their address, they are put on suspense,” El Paso County Elections Administrator Lisa Wise said.
Can I still vote if I’m on the suspense list?
Yes, but it can add a bit of time at the polling station if not fixed before you go to the polls.
“Suspense voters are still allowed to vote. Most of them are required to fill out a statement of residence confirming their registration address and then vote a regular ballot,” Wise said.
How can I find out if I’m on the suspense list?
You can check to see if you’re registered at websites run by the Texas Secretary of State’s Office or the El Paso County Elections Office.
If you’re registered, you’ll see information such as your voting precinct, your voter unique identification number or VUID, and the effective date of registration. If your status says “active,” you’re set to vote in the next election.
If your status says “suspense,” you can still vote, but you’ll have to fill out extra paperwork at the polling place if you don’t fix the issue before Oct. 5.
How do I get off the suspense list?
You can update your address information online, by mail or in person. Regardless of which means you choose, you’ll need to share your driver’s license or Texas identification card with your current address, your Social Security number, and your VUID.
Online changes are handled by the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.
In-person changes can be made at the El Paso County Elections Department in the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse, 500 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 314.
Mail-in changes can be sent to the elections office at the address above, with a 79901 ZIP Code. If you have your voter registration card, list your new address on the back side of the card in the two blank spaces provided, and sign your name.
If you don’t have your voter registration card, print out a Texas Voter Registration Application and mail that in.
If you have questions, call the El Paso County Elections Department at 915-273-3597.
What are the trends with the suspense list?
The number of people on the suspense list is lower than it was two years ago in El Paso, and statewide, even though voter registration is up. That’s because people either fixed their status or were removed from the registration rolls because they’d been on the suspense list for two years.
The most recent data released by the Texas Secretary of State’s Office is from March. Here are the most recent numbers for El Paso County, compared with March in prior election years.
In El Paso County and Texas, the number of people on the suspense list goes up in presidential election years like 2024, and down in mid-term election years such as 2026.
In both this March and March 2022, the last mid-term election, about 9% of registered voters in El Paso County were on the suspense list.
Wise said that as of Monday, Aug. 31, the number of voters on the suspense list was 50,386 – or 9.5% of the 530,351 registered voters.
Statewide, 6.6% of registered voters were on the suspense list in March, down from 7.2% at the same point in the 2022 mid-term election.
Across Texas, the number of registered voters on the suspense list was 1% lower than at the same point in 2022, even though the number of registered voters was higher by 9%.
The post Seeing claims about Texas’ voter suspense list? Here’s what the numbers actually show – and what you need to know appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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