Voter registration online is available in Texas, for some

For the first time in Texas history, the state has a method, albeit limited, for voters to register online.

The state was forced to set up the online voter registration system by a U.S. district judge in San Antonio who ruled last month that Texas officials were violating the National Voter Registration Act by denying residents a chance to register to vote anytime they apply for, renew or update their driver’s licenses. The deadline for the state to set up the online registration portal was Wednesday.

While the online voter registration is available only to that particular population, the fact it was created at all is a significant shift for the state, which up until nowhad required Texans making license changes online to print and mail a form to their county registrar.

Texas is one of just nine states that do not offer widespread online voter registration, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The change particularly affects young and low-income voters who move more frequently, according to Mimi Marziani, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, which represented the plaintiffs.

“We know that close to 2 million people use that portal every year to update their driver’s licenses,” she said. “That comes down to thousands of people every single day.”

The last day to register in Texas to vote in the November election is Oct. 5.

Kayleigh Date, a spokeswoman for the Texas attorney general’s office, confirmed Thursday that “the secretary of state and Texas Department of Public Safety are in compliance with the court’s order.” Date said the AG’S office plans to appeal the district court ruling.

Republican state leaders have fought for years against online registration by saying it would increase the chances of voter fraud. In 2018, they successfully appealed a nearly identical ruling on a technicality, arguing that the plaintiffs no longer were harmed

because they had re-registered since filing the suit.

Marziani said shewas cautiously optimistic that the decisionwill stick this time because the state already has complied with the order and the lawsuit showed that the harm was ongoing.

Lead plaintiff Jarrod Stringer and other voters filed suit again in January after they experienced further problems trying to register to vote. Stringer originallywas unable to vote in 2014 after he and hiswife relocated to San Antonio. It happened again a year ago when they moved to Houston.

Texas previously has allowed voters to update their registration online only if they move within the same county. Voter registration

also is available for those who go in person to apply for a license.

“The goal really was to change the system that was being set up in Texas to deny the people their right to vote,” Stringer said. “I felt like that was really a violation of their citizenship. And I know I’m not the only one.”

Stringer said the online portal appeared to be working Wednesday night when he used it himself, though it did not clearly indicate that the registration process was completed. He said he and the other voters plan to press the state to make the process more explicit.

“Itwas not clear at all,” he said.

“They’re still trying to keep it murky.”

The number of Texans renewing their licenses online is expected to increase this year because of restrictions in place amid the coronavirus pandemic. Marziani said people also aremore likely to have to move now because of the economic fallout from the health crisis.

She said the group is hopeful the ruling can be a starting point for further action by state leaders.

“Now we know that Texas has the technical know-howto do this and can do it securely,” Marziani said, “this is the time for the Legislature to take the next step and fully enact voter registration.”