Voting from Escapees TX Address

[Kirk W]

I just received the following from the Escapee News.

Quote

Special Bulletin
for our
Texas-Domiciled Member Residents

Changes to the Texas Election Code were instituted beginning September 1, 2021. We do not believe that the changes to the code will have an impact on members who use their Rainbow Drive address at Rainbow's End as a legal domicile address for voting.

Escapees reached out to Polk County Tax Assessor (and Voter Registrar), Leslie Burks, for comment. Mrs. Burks is a longtime friend and supporter of the Escapees RV Club.

After verifying her obligations with various state representatives, she confirmed that it would be business as usual. If an Escapees member can produce a valid and current driver's license, a state-issued personal identification card, or other accepted documents, then that person will be allowed to register to vote. (All other requirements of voter registration, naturally, still apply.) Mrs. Burks concluded that in the wake of Speights v. Willis where the Escapees advocacy team secured the right of Escapees to use a mail-forwarding address to register to vote, this is a well-settled matter. Escapees are welcome to domicile and register to vote in Polk County.

Mrs. Burks indicated that she has no intention of sending out voter confirmation notices to all of our members. However, if you're interested in learning more about S.B. 1111, or have concerns about filling out a "Notice to Confirm Voter Registration Address" should you receive one, you may view more details here: Explanation of Voter Confirmation as it applies to full-time RVers using their Rainbow Drive address.

It's important to note that if you should receive a voter confirmation notice, you have 30 days to respond. If you do not receive your mail on a regular basis, you may want to increase your mail-forwarding instructions during election periods, or upgrade to the scanning service, so you can check incoming mail daily.

 

[Barbaraok]

I noticed that they didn't say they would notify us that such a piece of mail had hit the mailboxes, only that we should pay increased fees to have scanning!  Sheesh!

[2gypsies]

1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:

I noticed that they didn't say they would notify us that such a piece of mail had hit the mailboxes, only that we should pay increased fees to have scanning!  Sheesh!

..... or request your mail more often during this time.

[Kirk W]

8 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

I noticed that they didn't say they would notify us that such a piece of mail had hit the mailboxes, only that we should pay increased fees to have scanning!  Sheesh!

 

8 hours ago, Kirk W said:

If you do not receive your mail on a regular basis, you may want to increase your mail-forwarding instructions during election periods, or upgrade to the scanning service, so you can check incoming mail daily.

Emphasis added.

[fpmtngal]

That’s great news, Kirk.  Thanks for posting the update, it’s a big relief!

[Barbaraok]

So either way, spend more money.  And since no one has any idea when this will be done, that means more money for at least the next year.  So just adding one more mailing each month, will mean an extra $102 or so waiting for something that might never come!

[Kirk W]

23 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

So just adding one more mailing each month, will mean an extra $102 or so waiting for something that might never come!

 You have posted here many times that you own a park-model in AZ and spend much of your time there with only occasional brief visits to TX so why not just register to vote in AZ and eliminate your problem? 😏

You do have the option to call the mail room and ask them to check your mail folder to see what is there before you have it sent. That is what we did before we reverted to part-time and moved our domicile to our home-base. 

Edited September 25, 2021 by Kirk W
Added another thought

[mrfrank]

Probably doesn't want to pay Arizona income tax!

[Twotoes]

I have my mail forwarded 2x a month, on the 1st and the 15th. I use FedEx 2 day. It costs about $7, or approximately $14 a month. So if I change to once a week it's only an additional $14 a month. 

[buckeyefan4]

Appreciate the quick response on this from the Escapees!

[RV_]

Are they changing requirements for mail in voting?

" It also makes it a state jail felony for local election officials to proactively distribute applications for mail-in ballots, even if they are providing them to voters who automatically qualify to vote by mail or groups helping get out the vote."

Source:

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/01/texas-voting-bill-greg-abbott/

Edited September 25, 2021 by RV_

[buckeyefan4]

I don't believe this affects the current process for requesting a ballot for mail in voting.  You can still request a ballot and have it mailed to you outside of the county.  This law makes it a felony for any election official to proactively send out applications for mail in ballots to voters.  The law is geared toward preventing sending absentee/mail-in ballot applications out on a mass or county-wide basis to all voters.

[RV_]

I would also ask if they count mail in ballots before calling the election. Long before this I remember while full time I called Polk county and back in the 1997-2003 time frame we were told they hold the mail ins or use them for tie breakers or some such. In today's world those are valid questions to ask. I don't vote in Texas but if I still did I would want to know what the cutoff is to count mail in ballots, and when they count and include mail in ballots. I remember thinking our votes did not get counted there.

Here in Colorado we drop off or mail in our ballots and we actually get an email from the election board confirming they received our ballots and they were valid with no issues.

 

[Kirk W]

6 hours ago, buckeyefan4 said:

I don't believe this affects the current process for requesting a ballot for mail in voting.  You can still request a ballot and have it mailed to you outside of the county. 

Exactly. It is so easy to over think and complicate things. While there have been no court cases to set things in stone, I suspect that the information from the Escapee's attorneys is the most accurate available. Since the CEO of Escapees Inc. is a practicing attorney, he probably would have a pretty good ability to judge the information received.  Forums are usually not the best source of legal advice. 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Kirk W

[Dutch_12078]

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

I would also ask if they count mail in ballots before calling the election. Long before this I remember while full time I called Polk county and back in the 1997-2003 time frame we were told they hold the mail ins or use them for tie breakers or some such. In today's world those are valid questions to ask. I don't vote in Texas but if I still did I would want to know what the cutoff is to count mail in ballots, and when they count and include mail in ballots. I remember thinking our votes did not get counted there.

Here in Colorado we drop off or mail in our ballots and we actually get an email from the election board confirming they received our ballots and they were valid with no issues.

 

In federal elections, and presumably all elections, all ballots are required to be counted before the final results are certified. The TV/press people call elections based on the current count for one candidate over another having a wide enough margin that it's unlikely the remaining votes will change the outcome. That has no legal bearing on the actual results of course...

[RV_]

I am aware of that Dutch, thanks anyway. I would ask if we were still voting there because if it were made easier to dismiss ballots for signatures that do not match.  My suggestion was because of recent changes to Texas voting laws to prevent voter fraud. It's up to those voting in Texas to see what is what before the next elections.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

It's up to those voting in Texas to see what is what before the next elections.

 

[daetrip]

So now that I’m 65 which I thought it would entitle me to request mail in TX ballots. Do I still have to designate a out of county address, for the ballot to be sent? Or just forwarded from my legal Exscapees address?

Using TX as my domicile has been a blessing but outside of Polk county; especially voting, not so much. Even my main banking institution won’t add any accounts because of the address, and that issue has come up in other situations.

Has anyone tried to fly since changing domicile; will the gold star on my driver license get me on a plane? Will my current passport with a different address help.

Does anyone have a passport issued to a TX or any Exscapees domicile address?

Thank you in advance.

[daetrip]

PS: I have never had any issues with taxes insurance most banks credit unions social security Medicare etc…

Edited June 16, 2022 by daetrip
Incomplete thought

[Kirk W]

You do not have to use an out of county address to receive your ballot by mail if you are 65 years of age or older. Below is a link to the Secretary of State website and explaination.

Application for a Ballot by Mail

We have had our ballots mailed to our home address now for several elections. 

Edited June 16, 2022 by Kirk W

[daetrip]

Thanks that is what I thought was true; I appreciate the response. 
 

[TXiceman]

Like Kirk, we have been using the mail ballot since we turned 65.  Work very well as the mail service will alert us when our ballots hit the mailbox wanting us to confirm where to send them.  Just be sure to get your annual application in as soon as you can.  And renew it yearly.  On the application, and the ballot, be sure and read the form and fully complete the forms.  They will reject it for any missing info.

Ken

Edited June 16, 2022 by TXiceman