Texas Does Not Verify Citizenship of Voter Registration Applicants

[Bigun]

Texas Does Not Verify Citizenship of Voter Registration Applicants

State officials do not verify voter applicants to ensure only eligible citizens are added to registration rolls. Republican lawmakers have so far ignored the problem.

By
Ross Kecseg
|
July 18, 2019

Texas’ voter registration process relies upon an honor system. The state does not require voter registration applicants to provide proof of citizenship, nor do state officials independently verify their citizenship status.

The exact number of noncitizens on the voter rolls and illegally voting remains unclear, as state officials have been reluctant to resolve the problem.

A WFAA investigation concluded “hundreds, if not thousands of non-U.S. citizens, are registered to vote in Texas, and some have cast ballots in elections.” The news report found noncitizens will declare themselves as such to avoid jury duty. Once they self-identify as a noncitizen, they can easily be removed from the voter rolls. Many of these individuals were found to have voted...

https://texasscorecard.com/state/texas-does-not-verify-citizenship-of-voter-registration-applicants/

[Bigun]

Texas we have a problem and it's a big one!

[thackney]

Some checking is done:

Texas officials flag tens of thousands of voters for citizenship checks
https://www.texastribune.org/2019/01/25/texas-flags-tens-thousands-voters-citizenship-check/

The Texas secretary of state's office announced Friday it would send local election officials a list of 95,000 registered voters whom the state says counties should consider checking to see whether they are U.S. citizens and, therefore, legally eligible to vote.

In an advisory released Friday afternoon, the office said it was flagging individuals who had provided the Texas Department of Public Safety with some form of documentation — including a work visa or a green card — that showed they were not a citizen when they were obtaining a driver’s license or an ID card. Among the individuals flagged, about 58,000 individuals cast a ballot in one or more elections from 1996 to 2018, the secretary of state's office said....

[Bigun]

Some checking is done:

Texas officials flag tens of thousands of voters for citizenship checks
https://www.texastribune.org/2019/01/25/texas-flags-tens-thousands-voters-citizenship-check/

The Texas secretary of state's office announced Friday it would send local election officials a list of 95,000 registered voters whom the state says counties should consider checking to see whether they are U.S. citizens and, therefore, legally eligible to vote.

In an advisory released Friday afternoon, the office said it was flagging individuals who had provided the Texas Department of Public Safety with some form of documentation — including a work visa or a green card — that showed they were not a citizen when they were obtaining a driver’s license or an ID card. Among the individuals flagged, about 58,000 individuals cast a ballot in one or more elections from 1996 to 2018, the secretary of state's office said....

Some checking is not nearly enough!  E-Verify at very minimum!

[Sanguine]

A few more publicized prosecutions should cut way back on the desire to vote illegally.

[Bigun]

A few more publicized prosecutions should cut way back on the desire to vote illegally.

I certainly agree but stopping the registration of those not entitled to vote in the first place is imperative!

[Sanguine]

I certainly agree but stopping the registration of those not entitled to vote in the first place is imperative!

Absolutely.

[thackney]

E-Verify at very minimum!

That is a good idea!

[Cyber Liberty]

A few more publicized prosecutions should cut way back on the desire to vote illegally.

Let's hope the TX AG is better than the National Sessions clone we have.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

Texas we have a problem and it's a big one!

Yes it's a big problem.  But Texas could immediately do something about it via computer check of the strip on the back of the driver's license.  Election Officials say they don't do that.  I say WHY NOT?  It would be very east to verify citizenship that way.

[thackney]

Yes it's a big problem.  But Texas could immediately do something about it via computer check of the strip on the back of the driver's license.  Election Officials say they don't do that.  I say WHY NOT?  It would be very east to verify citizenship that way.

They have been using the driver's license strip for years where I had voted.  They have a reader on the side of the laptop.  But the old driver's license wasn't proof of citizenship.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

They have been using the driver's license strip for years where I had voted.  They have a reader on the side of the laptop.  But the old driver's license wasn't proof of citizenship.

I recently asked the election officials specifically about citizenship in Brazoria County.  I was told that they don't get any citizenship data when they swipe the DL. 

[Victoria33]

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