It’s quite difficult, if not impossible, to get the Texas state ID required to vote if you live in or around the blue city of Austin. The Austin American-Statesman attributes the problem to a labor shortage rather than a voter suppression effort. But I wouldn’t put anything past coup-enthusiast and sleazebag, Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Statesman columnist Bridget Grumet recently wrote about the shortage of appointments at the agency that provides the necessary photo ID, the Central Texas Department of Public Safety offices:
It’s not like the system is offering appointments that are months away. It’s giving [the family of 18-year-old Nathan Shirk] nothing near Austin at all. I got the same “No Availability” response this past week when I searched for first-time ID appointments in Austin. Broadening the search area pointed me toward appointments in Lampasas, Killeen or the town of Caldwell.
And while the DPS encourages people to look for appointments in other cities — I drove my two teenagers to New Braunfels last year to get their learner’s licenses — not all families are in a position to make such a trek.
This is not a new backlog, either. The DPS press secretary attributed the problem to difficulty finding qualified applicants for its offices. While that may be true, I don’t think it’s a good excuse. State IDs are not just needed for voting. You need one to get a job, to drive, and any other number of crucial activities. NBC DFW reports in the video above about steps the department is taking to resolve the problem. But it doesn’t seem like it will help Texas voters in time for the election.
In any event, it’s important that Texans know they can vote without the ID, by filling out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration form. Grumet has all the details here.
Kamala Harris and Rep. Colin Allred are surging in Texas polls. Don’t let the state’s bureaucratic snafus stop you from voting, Texans!
