So less than two weeks ago, I moved to Texas. It was arranged quickly, but here I am, very near family. It’s much safer, as I’m aging.
I got many things in place with minimal problems. Utilities were turned on/transferred to my name. Basic furniture is in place, including cat furniture. Kitchen cabinets are stocked (thank you, delivery services).
BUT. . .
I can’t register to vote until I establish a Texas ID. Fine. There shouldn’t be a problem with transferring my Kansas Driver License to Texas; they have a reciprocal agreement. I went online to schedule an appointment to do that—and here’s where I ran into problems. They only do this by appointment. And the next appointment I can find for many miles around is January or February of 2025.
What to do? No, I don’t have a passport. No, I don’t have Real ID. As with many women, my birth certificate has a different surname, and tracking down all the name changes will take weeks, or more, to get certified copies. The deadline to register to vote is October 7. I’m out of time.
I first voted in 1968, as soon as I became eligible. (You had to be 21 then.) Hubert Humphrey. (I have a long history of voting for people who lose.) I haven’t missed a vote since. A single school board seat? I’m in line to vote. Bonds for a new library the only thing on the ballot? Yup, mailed that one in.
So why am I not going to be able to vote for Harris/Walz and all those Democrats in Texas? Is there a solution? I can’t be the only person in this position.
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UPDATE: Suggestions have been made to contact:
- voteriders.org
- league of women voters of Texas
- Texas ACLU
Further suggestion: Where a utility bill is required, I can print the email notice and use that, which surprises me that it would be trusted.
The most useful help I’ve received is from the county Democratic office. A real person answered the phone and actually had some answers. (This wouldn’t have been the case in the county I moved from.) I’m not completely sure the advice will work on voting day, but I’ll go the first day of early voting so I’ll have a chance to fix any problems in time to cast votes for Harris/Walz, Alred, etc.
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UPDATE #2:
Apparently registering isn’t all that difficult. The problem will be actually casting a vote without the driver license or an ID from their approved list. I’ve been told ways to get around it; I hope they work. I’ll find out at the very beginning of early voting, so I have time to fix things if it all goes wrong.
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UPDATE #3:
I have a plan and a back-up. I have an appointment for a DL on October 21, an hour and a half from my house. The backup is my daughter is picking me up at 7AM to go physically to a local office to register same day, hoping they have such an appointment opening.
It shouldn’t be this hard. I shouldn’t have to spend an entire working day chasing after this information and making the scheduling work.
