El Paso and Hidalgo Counties, both along the border and majority Latino, have seen spike in voter registration
On the last day to register to vote in Texas, counties throughout the state have been reporting an increased number of registered voters in comparison to previous election cycles. El Paso and Hidalgo Counties, respectively, have both reported a significant increase in the amount of registered voters ahead of the midterm elections. And Travis County has again surpassed 90 percent registration of all eligible voters, still highest in the state.
And in Texas as a whole, while thousands more registrations are still been processed today, more than 15.6 million people have registered to vote, which is higher than ever.
Mario Carrillo, Texas State Director of America’s Voice issued the following statement:
The enthusiasm across Texas is palpable. In a year that could define the future of our state for generations, people are registering in record numbers to ensure their voices are heard on the issues that matter most to them.
And while record registration is a plus, more work remains to be done to ensure that our country’s democracy is more accessible to everyone in Texas. Strict voter ID laws and outdated voter registration practices exclude too many people, especially voters of color and young voters, from being able to vote.
We will continue working with and uplifting the work of all of the great organizations like Jolt Texas, MOVE Texas, Mi Familia Vota, along with groups in Dallas and along the border, as well as the Travis County registrar who are doing the difficult job until the last minute of engaging Texas voters, and will encourage the state to step up its efforts at ensuring maximum participation. In 2018, Texans have the opportunity to show our country the way forward, but first we must continue to register voters, and once they’ve registered, give them all the tools they need to become lifelong voters.
