Reminder: Registered Voters In Texas Now Can Vote Even Without Photo ID

AUSTIN, TX -- Registered voters in Texas are now able to vote with more than just a short list of allowable forms of identification after a federal court previously struck down the state's Voter ID law as unconstitutional.

Passed in 2011, the state's Voter ID law was among the nation's most stringent before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it violated the tenets of the Voting Rights Act. Even after the ruling, the U.S. Department of Justice found that the state wasn't complying with the court order, issuing a set of guidelines for Texas officials to follow on the new rules -- steps that included fortified public service announcements alerting to the changes and literature outlining an amplified list of allowable forms of ID per the court's ruling.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to allow Texas to keep the discarded Voter ID law, but his move won't prevent voters from availing themselves of the new rules for the Nov. 8 election.

Critics of the state's Voter ID law complained its provisions were designed to exclude a large swath of voters -- particularly minorities historically voting Democratic -- in an effort to marginalize them. Before the law was struck down, only seven forms of ID were allowed to vote:

• Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
• Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
• United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
• United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States passport

But in light of the appellate court's ruling, the state must now also accept other forms of identification if a reasonable reason exists as to why a person was unable to secure a photo ID. Those supporting documents are: certified birth certificate (must be an original); valid voter registration certificate; current utility bill; bank statement; government check; paycheck; other government document that shows the voter’s name and an address.

Early voting runs through Nov. 4, with Election Day on Nov. 8. For more information on voting in Texas, visit VoteTexas.gov or call 1-800-252-VOTE.

Since the DOJ's rebuke for non-compliance with the new rules, the Texas Secretary of State's Office has since produced PSAs to convey the new rules for voting, in both English and Spanish. They also posted explanatory material on the Secretary of State's website. That verbiage follows, taken verbatim from the state website:

Voters who do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of the seven forms of approved photo ID have additional options at the polls

The Office of the Texas Secretary of State reminds voters who do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain a form of approved photo ID that they now have additional options when voting in person. These additional options apply to current and upcoming school tax elections and the November General Election.

“My agency is working to make sure Texans know about these changes and that all qualified voters are ready to cast a ballot,” said Secretary Cascos.
Currently, Texas voters who do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of the seven forms of approved photo ID have additional options when casting their ballots. As provided by court order, if a voter does not possess and is not reasonably able to obtain one of the seven forms of approved photo ID, the voter may vote by (1) signing a declaration at the polls explaining why the voter is reasonably unable to obtain one of the seven forms of approved photo ID, and (2) providing one of various forms of supporting documentation.
Supporting documentation can be a certified birth certificate (must be an original), a valid voter registration certificate, a copy or original of one of the following: current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck, or other government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, although government documents which include a photo must be original and cannot be copies. If a voter meets these requirements and is otherwise eligible to vote, the voter will be able to cast a regular ballot in the election.

• The seven forms of approved photo ID are:
• Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
• Texas license to carry a handgun issued by DPS
• United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
• United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States passport

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the approved photo ID must be current or have expired no more than four years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place.
Voters with a disability may continue to apply with the county registrar for a permanent exemption to showing approved photo ID (which now may be expired no more than four years) at the polls. Also, voters who (1) have a consistent religious objections to being photographed or (2) do not present one of the seven forms of approved photo ID because of certain natural disasters as declared by the President of the United States or the Texas Governor, may continue apply for a temporary exemption to showing approved photo ID at the polls.
Voters with questions about how to cast a ballot in these elections can call 1-800-252-VOTE.

In Spanish:

Electores que no poseen y no pueden obtener razonablemente una de las siete formas de identificación aprobadas con fotografía tienen opciones adicionales en las casillas

La Oficina de la Secretaría de Estado de Texas le recuerda a los electores que no poseen y no pueden obtener razonablemente una forma de identificación aprobada con fotografía que ahora tienen opciones adicionales al votar en persona. Las opciones adicionales podrán ser presentadas en las próximas votaciones de impuestos escolares y en la elección general de noviembre.
“Mi agencia está trabajando para asegurar que los tejanos se mantengan informados sobre estos cambios y que cada elector que cumpla con los requisitos pueda ejercer su voto,” dijo el Secretario Cascos.
Actualmente, electores en Texas que no poseen y no pueden obtener razonablemente una de las siete formas de identificación aprobadas con fotografía tienen opciones adicionales al ejercer su voto en las casillas. Como lo indica la orden judicial, si el elector no posee y no puede obtener razonablemente una de las siete formas de identificación aprobadas con fotografía, puede ejercer su voto después de (1) firmar una declaración en la casilla de votación explicando sus razones por las cuales no ha podido obtener razonablemente una de las siete formas de identificación aprobadas con fotografía, y (2) presentar una de las distintas formas de identificación adicionales.
Las formas de identificación adicionales que puede presentar son: acta de nacimiento certificada (original), certificado de registro electoral valido, factura reciente de servicios públicos (original o copia), estado de cuenta bancaria (original o copia), cheque del gobierno (original o copia), cheque de pago (original o copia) u otro documento del gobierno con el nombre y una dirección del elector (original o copia). Si presenta un documento del gobierno que contiene una fotografía, deber ser original y no una copia. Si el elector cumple con estos requisitos y califica para votar, podrá ejercer su voto en la elección.
Las siete formas de identificación con fotografía aprobadas son las siguientes:

• Licencia de conducir de Texas expedida por el Departamento de Seguridad Pública (DPS, según sus siglas en inglés)
• Certificado de Identificación Electoral de Texas expedido por el DPS
• Tarjeta de identificación personal de Texas expedida por el DPS
• Licencia para portar armas de fuego de Texas expedida por el DPS
• Cedula de Identificación militar de los Estados Unidos con fotografía
• Certificado de ciudadanía de los Estados Unidos con fotografía
• Pasaporte de los Estados Unidos

Con la excepción del certificado de ciudadanía estadounidense, la identificación aprobada con fotografía debe estar actualizada o no haber vencido más de cuatro años antes de ser presentada en el sitio de votación para poder ejercer su voto.
Electores con alguna discapacidad pueden solicitar una excepción permanente por medio de la oficina de registro electoral de su condado para no presentar una identificación (la cual no debe haber vencido más de cuatro años antes) en la casilla de votación. Electores con (1) una continua objeción religiosa a ser fotografiados o (2) que no presenten una de las siete formas de identificación aprobadas con fotografía debido a ciertos desastres naturales declarados por el Presidente de los Estados Unidos o por el Gobernador del Estado de Texas, pueden solicitar una excepción temporal para no presentar una identificación aprobada con fotografía al momento de votar en el la casilla electoral.
Si tiene preguntas acerca de cómo ejercer su voto en estas elecciones puede llamar al 1-800-252-VOTE.

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