Don’t let your vote-by-mail application be rejected

Kyle/Buda-Area Democrats is forwarding this important message from Mark Trahan, Hays County Democratic Party Chair.

More than 50 percent of Mail-in-Ballot Applications were rejected in Travis County by Jan. 13, according to recent articles. We can’t let that happen in Hays County!

As many of you know, you can apply to Vote by Mail in Texas if you are:

• 65 years or older
• A person with a disability
• Out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting
• Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible

While 66% of all 50 states allow Vote By Mail with no restrictions, this year, the Texas Legislature made it even harder with a new law called SB1. One of the many voter suppression tactics built into SB1 is a duplicitous ID requirement that is wreaking havoc all across Texas and causing thousands of new Vote by Mail applications to be rejected.

This new law requires the elections officials to check the mail in ballot application for ID or last four of your SSN and compare with the voter file. If your numbers do not match, the elections official can deny your application. The language is deceiving, as it states “if you do not have a TDL, give the last four digits of your SSN”. However, you need to put both to ensure that the number you place on the application is the same as in your voter file.

SO, PLEASE be sure to put BOTH your ID number and the last four digits of your SSN on your Vote by Mail application!

Many Texans are overlooking this new, (easily missed) requirement and as a result, election officials in all counties are taking this opportunity to reject Vote by Mail applications.

The form can be found at the link below. Note: This is a PDF form that you can type directly into. All you need to do is PRINT it out. Please be sure to put both numbers on this application. (see example graphic below)