Elections Administrators respond to Governor’s voter purge

AMARILLO – The Amarillo Tribune reports that on Aug. 26, Governor Greg Abbott issued a press release announcing that since signing Senate Bill 1 into law in 2021, Texas has removed over one million people from the state’s voter rolls. For many Texan voters, the release created confusion and caused concern over their voter status. “It did cause a lot of panic for a lot of people,” Randall County Elections Administrator Shannon Lackey said. “We have had many, many people call to verify their status. What everyone needs to know was all of those things on that list happen on a daily basis.” In a Potter County Elections Administration press release, Potter County Elections Administrator Christy Benge explained, “The largest category of voter registration cancellations come from voters who are deceased, voters who give a signed statement affirming they no longer reside within Potter County, and voters who have a felony conviction,” with few other minor categories with very small numbers.

Lackey said that county elections officials constantly maintain their voter rolls, canceling the status of those who have died, moved away, or are noncitizens. But, she explained, election staff attempts to notify voters of their status so it can be maintained. For example, Lackey said that if someone gets a jury summons and responds that they no longer live there, the district clerk must notify the elections staff of the response. At that point, they go on the suspense list. “The suspense was another category that was listed on that report that came out,” Lackey said. “All that means is we think maybe you’ve moved or you no longer have that same mailing address. That does not cancel [your registration status.] We send out an address confirmation notice to that voter at whatever address we have available to us.” Lackey said if the voter does not respond, they stay on the suspense list for two federal election cycles or four years, and if they don’t vote or update, they fall off the voter rolls. “But that’s not done until the end of November of even years, okay?” Lackey said. “So, we don’t have mass cancellation before a general election.”