Texas is a voter identification state - but not a photo ID state. There are many forms of identification you can show. The primary one is your voter registration card.
Texas SOS FAQ on Voter formsQ: I can't find my voter certificate/card. Will I be able to vote without it?
A: If you are a registered voter and you have lost or misplaced your voter certificate, you may vote without your certificate by providing some form of identification (see list below) and signing an affidavit at the polls. This is the procedure to follow if your voter registration is still current and your name appears on the voter rolls in your county of residence. You may also contact your county voter registrar to obtain a replacement certificate.
Addresses and phone numbers of Voter RegistrarsAcceptable documents are:
1. a driver's license or personal identification card issued to you by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to you by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
2. a form of identification containing your photograph that establishes your identity;
3. a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes your identity;
4. United States citizenship papers issued to you;
5. a United States passport issued to you;
6. official mail addressed to you, by name, from a governmental entity;
7. a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
But what happened to galloglas can absolutely happen here, because our election system is dependent on the trained poll worker. And we have thousands of people that serve that one or two times a year and they are not equally trained. Some of them really believe you have to show a photo ID. They are not that well trained. These jobs pay about $8/hour, so you get what you pay for. And in some cases I'm sure that there is even some partisan behavior by some poll workers and election judges. I guess it depends on the county and the election administrator for that county.
It depends on the voter to know their rights. And if your like galloglas and you stand your ground, the election officials do have the authority to have you arrested for causing a scene. My advice is if the poll worker insists on seeing your photo ID after you show your voter registration card, you tell them you know that's not legal and ask to speak to the person who is in charge at that location. Don't cause a commotion but do call the Election Protection line 866-OUR-VOTE and report the incident. If you have your ID and you want to vote, I would suggest that you show your ID to vote, but file a complaint immediately thereafter.
Call your local election administration office (i.e.
your county clerks/registrars), the local county Democratic party and the press and anyone else who will raise a ruckus for you. Don't give up on protecting your rights. Only you know how far you are willing to take it. Certainly you may be arrested and there are financial costs associated with that even if you get a pro-bono lawyer.
Sonia
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