Under Texas' Republican-authored voting legislation, people who apply to vote by mail can have their applications rejected if they incorrectly remember which kind of ID number the state already has on file for them.
During a Sunday event at the Roseville Senior Apartment Complex, Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert and other members of the local Juneteenth Coalition warned that the Republican-backed Senate Bill 1 has already led to a spike in ballot rejections. Voting-rights groups say provisions in the measure are confusing and meant to dilute the number of ballots cast by likely Democratic voters. Under Texas' strict rules, voting by mail is largely limited to people 65 and older and those with disabilities.
“I tried three times to request my mail ballot application with no success,” 64-year-old Bexar County resident JoAnn Cardenas said in a statement. “After sending two applications, I was told neither of the applications were received. I triple-checked the application, and my provider double-checked it. We called the day before the election, and I was again told my ballot was not received.”