It's National Voter Registration Day, and with the midterm election just around the corner, you still have time to register — or, check if you're on the state's voter suspense list.
Nearly 1.2 million voters in Texas — including more than 300,000 voters in North Texas — were placed on a voter suspense list after local officials could not confirm their residential addresses by mail.
Those individuals must update their information by the Oct. 5 deadline to ensure their eligibility for the upcoming midterms. Addresses can be updated through the Texas Secretary of State's online portal.
Placement on the voter suspense list does not immediately revoke your registration status, but ignoring necessary updates can lead to later issues.
If residents fail to verify their current address by Oct 5, poll workers will require them to complete a statement of residency before casting a ballot on Election Day — and the complications don’t end there.
"If voters don’t take action to correct an erroneous addition of the voter to the suspense list, then the voter will be purged in two years," David Froomkin, assistant professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center, told Houston Public Media. "The state imposes that legal obligation on the county registrar."
Are you registered?
While residents can verify their status and confirm their current address at votetexas.gov, Texas does not allow people to register online.
In order to register, first fill out the Secretary of State’s online application, which must then be printed, signed, and mailed to your county election office.
You can also request a postage-paid application mailed directly from the state, or reach out to your county voter registrar in person to complete registration.
One of these steps must be completed no later than 30 days prior to election day.
Key dates for Texas voters
- Last day to register to vote in Texas: Oct. 5
- Mail ballot application deadline: Oct. 23
- Early voting: Oct. 19 to Oct. 30
- Election Day: Nov. 3
Alexsis Jones is a reporter and producer for KERA News. Got a tip? Email Alexsis at ajones@kera.org.
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