Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott order counties to shut down all but one drop-off site for mail-in ballots.
The excuse for this maneuver is to protect election security. The result, though, is that up to 4.7 million people are expected to use one box, slowing down the process of simply turning in a ballot. It may also prevent voters who can’t travel long distances (or at all) from voting.
It will take some voters over an hour to drive from their homes to their county’s drop-off site.
Beginning on October 2, eligible voters can deliver their mail ballots in person to locations designated by the county’s early voting clerk. There will be no more than one drop-off location per county. Poll watchers may observe ballot deliveries at each location.
“These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at illegal voting,” Abbott said.
Harris County, which includes Houston, had 12 drop-off locations for its more than 2 million registered voters as of September. Travis County, which includes the state capital of Austin, had four. Harris County covers an area of more than 1,700 square miles, while Travis County stretches over more than 1,000 sq. miles. Other counties are individually as large as 6,000 square miles — larger than the entire state of Connecticut. Texas has 254 counties.
The Mercury News
