County Preps Voters on Election ID Law

With constitutional amendments and the special election in House District 50 on the Nov. 5 ballot, Travis County is mounting a last-ditch scramble to make sure everyone can vote under the new voter ID laws. Between Oct. 3-8, the county will operate mobile locations so residents without a driver's license can apply for the new free election ID certificate.

As of this year's elections, registering to vote isn't enough: Registered Texans will still need a photo ID (a yellow voter registration card alone at the ballot box won't be enough, but a state-issued photo ID should suffice). When state Republican lawmakers pushed through voter ID in 2011, one concession was to introduce free voter ID cards. However, those same legislators did little to help their rollout. Travis County Tax Assessor/Collector and Voter Registrar Bruce Elfant said, "A lot of states gave their counties a year or more to prepare and gave them significant resources. We have about a month, and we have no resources."

Election ID certificates are only for people with no other valid form of state identification. Yet there are still additional hurdles for voters with a license or state ID card. As of Novem­ber, they must provide a photo ID at the ballot box*. The two do not have to be identical, but the law requires them to be "substantially similar"; otherwise the voter can only cast a provisional vote.

County staff estimate there could be as many as 37,000 Travis County residents who lack the right documents to vote. The most immediate concern is elderly, disabled, and economically disadvantaged voters who either do not have or cannot afford a driver's license: Those are the people for whom the free election ID certificate is designed. However, the county estimates there could also be as many as 3,200 residents of West Campus – many of them students – who may not yet have the right ID. Elfant said, "We're going to do the best we can in the short period of time we have to get the word out to the community." Voters are encouraged to visit www.keepcalmvoteon.com or call 512/238-VOTE for more info.

*The original version of this story stated that voters would be required to present both a photo ID and a voter registration card in order to vote. Although a photo ID is required, there is no requirement for a voter registration card.