Texas will send inspectors to monitor 2024 elections in Harris County
An audit by the Texas Secretary of State’s Office found improved elections procedures, but the office is sending monitors because of past problems. Full Story
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Natalia Contreras covers election administration and voting access for Votebeat in partnership with The Texas Tribune. She has covered a range of topics as a community journalist including local government, public safety, immigration and social issues. Natalia previously reported for the Austin American-Statesman, focusing on impacts of government policies on communities of color. Natalia previously worked at the Indianapolis Star, where she helped launch the first Spanish-language newsletter, and at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. She was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas in Mexico and grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is based in Corpus Christi.
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![Harris County Elections Staff members sort ballot bags at the Elections Technology Center in northwest Houston on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Here’s how to vote in the Texas 2024 election
Election Day is Nov. 5. Here is everything you need to know about casting a ballot in Texas. Full Story
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Texas election officials are dealing with a flood of challenges to voter registrations
Conservative groups and individual activists have targeted tens of thousands of Texans over their eligibility. But state and federal protections are in place. Full Story
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![Voter registration applications hang in a holder inside of the Elections Office in Fredericksburg on Mar. 5, 2024.]()
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Texas activist frustrates election officials with lawsuit about threat to ballot secrecy
Laura Pressley claims she found an “algorithmic pattern” that links voters to their ballots. But she won’t make it public. Full Story
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![Laura Pressley and an illustration of public records from court filings.]()
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Fixing Texas’ ballot secrecy problems won’t be easy, experts say
The burden will fall on local officials to determine which records they’re obligated to release or redact. Full Story
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![Elijah and Melissa Lillo leave the Phillip Center in Gastonia after casting their votes in the North Carolina primary on March 5, 2024.]()
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Voter advocacy groups ask feds to step in after Texas allowed some voters’ ballots to be identified
The request comes as state and local officials undermined ballot secrecy in their bids for election transparency. Full Story
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![People walk past a 'Vote Here' sign outside of the Austin Oaks Church on Mar. 1, 2024. Early voting ends today for the primaries.]()
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Texas conservatives want to end countywide voting. The costs could be high.
More than 80% of the state’s registered voters can cast their ballot anywhere in the county on election day. Scrapping that option could lead to disenfranchisement, experts say. Full Story
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![A voter walks past an election sign on his way to vote at Cavazos Middle School in Lubbock on Nov. 8, 2022.]()
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Texas tells local election officials to stop releasing information that exposes how some people vote
The emergency guidance from the secretary of state comes after Votebeat and The Texas Tribune confirmed the choices some voters make can later be identified through legally available records. Full Story
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![A ballot is dropped in Austin in October, 2020.]()
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Top Texas election official acknowledges threats to ballot secrecy
Rules and practices meant to promote transparency also create vulnerabilities for voters, lawmakers were told. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line outside Cody Public Library in San Antonio during the evening hours of Election Day on Oct. 23, 2020.]()
Credit: Clint Datchuk for The Texas Tribune -
Texas officials compromised ballot secrecy as they increased election transparency
In limited instances, the choices some Texas voters make can later be identified using public, legally available data. Full Story
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![Super Tuesday voting lines at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston on March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune