This story has been updated.
Early voting in Bexar County has started for the Nov. 8 midterm elections, and experts say voters may see an unusually high number of observers in and around polling locations.
The likely increase “is a result of what happened in 2020,” said Jon Taylor, chair of UTSA’s Department of Political Science and Geography, “particularly with the aftermath of Trump and questions about so-called election integrity.”
After that election, Taylor said, Texas implemented laws and policies that gave one class of observer, known as poll watchers, more freedom of movement at polling locations, but also required that they complete some training.
Voters should be aware of the differences between poll workers, poll watchers and poll monitors, and understand not only what they can and cannot do, but also know their own rights as they seek to cast a ballot during an election where “emotions are running high,” said Jacque Callanen, Bexar County elections administrator.
“I think it’s an obviously important election and there’s just a lot of emotion behind it,” she said.
Poll workers are hired to run elections
Poll workers, also known as election officials, are registered voters who are hired and trained by the Bexar Count Elections Department to administer elections by checking voters in, giving them their ballots and making sure they know how to use voting machines.
Callanen’s office has said it will have enough poll workers to staff all 302 Election Day polling locations, but some workers were still being trained as of Monday. She has said that every polling site will include veteran poll workers. The senior poll worker at each site is known as an election judge.
Poll workers verify voter eligibility and ensure ballots are counted. They aren’t publicly affiliated with any party, candidate or campaign. Poll workers can answer questions about how to vote, but not who to vote for.
Poll watchers are partisan observers
A poll watcher is a registered voter appointed to observe the conduct of an election on behalf of a candidate, political party or specific-purpose political action committees, according to the elections division of the Texas Secretary of State.
Poll watchers are allowed to observe voters, election officials and poll monitors, and report on irregularities in the conduct of any election, but they may not interfere in the orderly conduct of an election. They may not answer voters’ questions.
Rules for poll watchers were updated during the last legislative session. They now have more freedom of movement inside a polling place, but must now take an online training course through the secretary of state’s office and swear an oath to an election officer that they will “not disrupt the voting process or harass voters.”
Poll watchers may now be present at the voting machine if a poll worker is assisting a voter — otherwise, the poll watcher may not be near the booth.
Poll monitors are organized by voting rights groups
Poll monitors are nonpartisan volunteers whose job it is to assist voters if they have questions about their voting rights. Monitors in Texas are organized by a coalition of voting rights groups that promotes the national 866-OUR-VOTE hotline for voters who want to report irregularities or connect with an attorney. Poll monitors also keep an eye out for issues around voting access and election administration.
“There are a number of races that have a lot of interest and a lot of people either keyed up or in one way or another going to be hyped up,” Taylor said. “People need to expect when they go to the polls, that they’re probably going to see more people than usual, watching them coming in and out of their precinct to their polling station.”
Voters’ rights at polling places
Beyond the 100-foot mark outside polling locations, candidates and campaign volunteers can electioneer, or urge voters to cast their ballot for a particular candidate, wear clothing supporting their candidate or issue and wave signs.
Inside that 100-foot mark, voters should be free of electioneering.
Also inside the 100-foot mark, voters may not wear campaign-related clothing or use cellphones, cameras, computers or any other device that can record sound or images. Firearms are not allowed inside polling sites.
Any person registered to vote should be allowed to vote at a polling site, regardless of ability. Voters who do not speak English or who have a disability may get help voting from a person they choose, like a family member or friend, but not their employer or an agent of their employer or union.
Technology to assist voters with disabilities may be allowed by an election judge or early voting clerk at their discretion, according to the secretary of state’s office. Voters do not need to prove their disability and cannot be turned away.
Seven acceptable forms of ID for voting
Voters have a right to cast a provisional ballot if their name does not appear on the list of registered voters, or if they do not have one of seven acceptable forms of identification:
- Texas driver license issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Texas election identification certificate issued by DPS
- Texas personal ID card issued by DPS
- Texas handgun license issued by DPS
- U.S. Military ID with the person’s photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate with the person’s photograph
- U.S. passport (book or card)
Voters without one of these IDs may cast a provisional ballot, along with an affidavit of provisional voter, which can be counted if they provide the required photo ID or documents within six days of Election Day, Nov. 8, to the Bexar County elections office at 1103 S. Frio St.
Those who do not possess “and cannot reasonably obtain” one of those forms of photo ID, may also fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and present an alternative form of ID, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check, or a voter registration certificate.
A voter may not be questioned about their citizenship status or their criminal record in a way that would interfere with their right to vote, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Voters may bring written materials, such as a print-out of a sample ballot or voter guide, with them into a voting station to assist in casting their ballot, but if they express a preference for or against a candidate or party within 100 feet of the polling place, an election judge or voting clerk may prohibit the written material.
On Election Day, Nov. 8, voters have the right to cast their ballot as long as they’re in line at a polling place by 7 p.m.
