just got deputized to register voters in texas

[rdking647]

its time to turn texas blue.....

[Half-Century Man]

1. I got some questions.

How are the EICs recorded?
Can it be done electronically?
Exactly what documents can be used?
Who has to see documents?
Will we need notary publics?
Can e-copies of birth certificates be obtained in Texas courthouses?
Can voting registrars stand at the counter in a clerk of courts office and witness documents, but not get costly official copies?
Can e-copies of Birth certificates be used?
Can e-copies of any of the other documents be used?

We need mobility, to take to EICs to the people or take the people to the EICs, so how many busses (and mobile hot-spots) can we lay our hands on? If we make mobile voter e-registration vehicles, I suggest we mount cameras and stream video very publicly to damper the enthusiasm of non-registering visitors.

How many registered voters are in Texas?
Can that number be doubled?
How many voters will be needed to cause the senior republicans to stroke out?
Should we have EMS on hand?
Should we send cards?

[Gothmog]

4. Only Texas Department of Public Safety can issue EICs

Election Identification Certificates ("EIC&quot can only be issued by the Texas Department of Public safety and you to apply for such identification in person. You can register a voter without a photo id but that voter needs a photo ID to vote. Voter registrars have nothing to do with the issuance of EICs but can register voters without a photo id.

There is no way to issue Election Identification Certificates electronically. You have to go to a DPS office. Here are the regulations from the Texas administrative code on EICs

Texas Administrative Code, RULE §15.182(1)

An original applicant for an election identification certificate must present:
(A) One piece of primary identification;
(B) Two pieces of secondary identification; or
(C) One piece of secondary identification plus two pieces of supporting identification
Texas Administrative Code, RULE §15.182(2) Primary Identification. A Texas driver license or personal identification card issued to the person that has been expired for 60 days and is within two years of expiration date may be presented as primary identification.

Texas Administrative Code, RULE §15.182

Secondary identification. These items are recorded governmental documents (United States, one of the 50 states, a United States territory, or District of Columbia):
(A) Original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by the appropriate State Bureau of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency;
(B) Original or certified copy of United States Department of State Certification of Birth (issued to United States citizens born abroad);
(C) Original or certified copy of court order with name and date of birth (DOB) indicating an official change of name and/or gender; or
(D) U.S. citizenship or naturalization papers without identifiable photo.

Texas Administrative Code, RULE §15.182(4)

Supporting identification. The following items consist of other records or documents that aid examining personnel in establishing the identity of the applicant:
(A) voter registration card; (emphasis added)
(B) school records;
(C) insurance policy (at least two years old);
(D) Texas vehicle or boat title or registration;
(E) military records;
(F) unexpired military dependant identification card;
(G) original or certified copy of marriage license or divorce decree;
(H) Social Security card;
(I) pilot's license;
(J) unexpired photo DL or photo ID issued by another (United States) state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia;
(K) expired photo DL or photo ID issued by another (United States) state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia that is within two years of the expiration date;
(L) an offender identification card or similar form of identification issued by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
(M) forms W-2 or 1099;
(N) Numident record from the Social Security Administration;
(O) expired Texas driver license or personal identification certificate (expired more than two years);
(P) professional license issued by Texas state agency;
(Q) identification card issued by government agency;
(R) parole or mandatory release certificate issued by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
(S) federal inmate identification card;
(T) federal parole or release certificate;
(U) Medicare or Medicaid card;
(V) Selective Service card;
(W) immunization records;
(X) tribal membership card from federally recognized tribe;
(Y) Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood;
(Z) Veteran's Administration card;
(AA) hospital issued birth record; or
(BB) any document that may be added to §15.24 of this title (relating to Identification of Applicants) other than those issued to persons who are not citizens of the U.S.

In most cases, one needs a birth certificate and two forms of supporting identification (one of which forms may be a voter registration certificate). The party is looking at ways of helping people get EICs.

I hope that this helps. I can answer any other questions if you need additional help

[Half-Century Man]

5. I was trying to think of a way to make/set up a mobile

voter preparation vehicle. Find out the best way to circumvent the circumvention of the VRA.

[Gothmog]

6. The purpose of SB14 is to take away the vote

The GOP controlled Texas legislature is trying to make it as hard as possible to vote. I spoke at a couple of town halls hosted by Congressman Al Green. One of the other speakers was the spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety who told the town hall that the DPS received no additional funding to implement this program and has no money or authority to do mobile units. In order to settle Section 5 litigation in Georgia, the state of Georgia agreed to pay for mobile units to issue the free id.

There are 70 counties in Texas with no DPS office. A voter wanting to get an id may have to drive or take a bus more than 200 miles round trip to get the id. This burden was intentional because the Texas GOP want to steal votes from poor people, minorities and the elderly.

[Half-Century Man]

7. I just want to tell them...

...No, you do not get your way even if you cheat. Your best efforts are for naught.

[Gothmog]

8. I understand. I have looked at this act very closely

I appreciate your concern but a large number of people have been looking carefully at this issue. There are no easy fixes here. I have been working on a proposal for the State Party to help poor voters get identifications. Unfortunately, the party has been busy lately with the abortion and redistricting issues.

The fact that there is no way to get a "free" identification without paying $22 or more for a birth certificate was an intentional decision on the part of the Texas republicans who drafted the law and may give us a chance to challenge the law as a poll tax. There is some good case law that if the only way that one can get a free id is by paying for it, then that law is a poll tax. There is a case filed already in Corpus Christie challenging the voter id law under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. There will be some significant litigation on this issue.

If Section 5 of the voting rights act had not be ruled unconstitutional, it is likely that the DOJ could had negotiated a settlement where ids could be issued throughout the state or the State paid for mobile units to go provide free ids to voters in counties where there is no DPS office. The DOJ was able to negotiate such protections in Georgia in order to settle some objections under Section 5. The DOJ negotiated some significant changes to the South Carolina voter id law in 2012 that made such law less of a problem.

For elderly voters, the Texas Democratic Party is planning a major push to encourage these voters to vote by mail. Absentee voting (vote by mail) is not subject to the voter id law in large part because a large number of GOP voters use this method to vote. In my county, we mailed out applications to 16,000 voters over the age of 65 in 2012 and we saw a 2,000+ increase in the number of voters who voted by mail. With voter id in effect, there will be some significant efforts made to get voters over the age of 65 to vote by mail.

The other thing that will be done in any case is to point out that the Texas GOP is trying to steal the votes of minorities, the poor and the elderly. The State Democratic Party is considering such a program right now. There is some hope that the GOP voter suppression efforts may backfire and encourage more minority voters. There is also some polling that shows that Hispanics would be more likely to vote if they thought that they were the targets of voter suppression efforts.

Please be assured that a number of Democrats are doing their best to lessen the effect of the Texas voter suppression/voter id law.

[Warpy]

2. Thank you!

It will take a lot of effort to get eligible people out to vote, they're so used to thinking it's hopeless in corrupt states like Texas.

It can be done, though, thanks to folks like you.

[Gothmog]

3. I was out registering voters at a church this weekend

An African American Church held a diversity workshop and I was there to register voters. The church is a very nice church and is politically active so I ended up registering one voter. I did pass out a handout on photo id/voter id law to a number of voters. Here is a link to a decent handout from the Texas Sec. of State http://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id

The GOP and the Texas Sec. of State are not going to do much to educate voters about this law. Under the law, all the Sec. of State has to do is put up an explanation on the SOS website. It is up to Democrats to get the word out about this law.

Battleground Texas is looking for voter registrars. I had a Battleground Texas fellow or intern from Florida with me at this event. Under the rules passed in 2011, out of state volunteers can not be voter registrars and so she could only sign people up to participate in Battleground Texas information events.

Have fun registering voters and remember to warn people about voter id/photo id. You do not need a photo id to be registered to vote but you do need one to actually vote in person

[Recursion]

9. Remember Goliad!

Awesome