Thousands of Names May be Purged from Voter Lists

Posted: Oct 24, 2012 9:44 PM

Updated: Oct 24, 2012 9:46 PM

EDINBURG - Voters who did not update their address within the last two federal elections will have their names removed from the eligible-voter lists, officials said.

That means some 53,000 voters in Hidalgo County would not be able to vote in the upcoming general election.

Jeanine Harris wasn't expecting any problems when she went to her Hidalgo County polling place. She was wrong.

"I presented my ID ... told them I wanted to vote. They looked it up and they said, ‘you have been scratched off the voters registration roll,'" Harris said.

She was taken off the voters list because she didn't update her address, Hidalgo County Elections Administrator Yvonne Ramon said.

"You don't have to register but once, but if your voter's certificate gets returned as undeliverable, then you are put on what's called a suspense, not suspended or canceled. You are an active voter, but you are on suspense, waiting to update your record," Ramon said.
The county has 306,000 eligible voters.

There are 53,000 on suspense that we're waiting on update and verification, Ramon said.

Another thing voters need to know is that they need to update their address if they haven't voted in the last two federal elections, she said.

"Two federal elections, the presidential and the gubernatorial. ... Two federal elections and this is law, this is not our policy," Ramon said.

Ramon said voters must use their official 911 address when updating their information or it will not be accepted.

"I had some address changes in there and I didn't update my address, so that's why I got purged from the system," Harris said.

"They reinstated me, so I am now back on the roll, but it's taken a lot of energy and effort," Harris said.

Ramon is encouraging anyone who may have questions to call the county elections office at 956-318-2570.

Voters can fill out an address verification form to be allowed to vote.

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