After a National PAC Directly Mailed Voters, the Tom Green County Elections Office Received Questions

SAN ANGELO, TX – The Tom Green County Elections Office has released the following message for all registered voters regarding mailed instructions and forms for an "application" that some individuals are receiving from a group called Engage Texas. Engage Texas is a conservative Political Action Committee that generally supports issues on the right side of the political spectrum. But the Elections Office here also noted that other political advocacy groups are contacting voters in the county as well.

According to Engage Texas, "Using a data-driven approach, Engage Texas will use grassroots, direct mail and digital outreach to identify, register and educate eligible but unregistered Texas voters whose voices are currently unaccounted for." This is a new national PAC formed during the past year. In June, it made its first filing with the Federal Elections Commission and itemized $9.6 million in donations from an A-list of Texas businessmen and women from around the Lone Star state.

With the 2020 presidential election year upon us, expect more PACs and advocacy groups to contact you via multiple means, not just direct mail. Texas is considered a battleground state this year and the prize for winning Texas for your party will likely be winning the White House. Get out the vote efforts include registering potential voters who will vote for your candidates.

"The creation of Engage Texas follows an election cycle in which U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, narrowly won re-election as Democrats picked up two U.S. House seats, two in the state Senate and 12 in the Texas House. For Republicans, the challenges are only growing next year in Texas, with national Democrats targeting U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, half a dozen U.S. House seats and the Texas House, where Democrats are nine seats away from the majority," Engage Texas stated in a July press release.

Here is the message from the Tom Green County Elections office:

The Tom Green County Election office is receiving inquiries about applications that are being mailed to voters from Engage Texas and other groups.  These forms are not being mailed by the election office.  

When receiving forms via mail, voters are encouraged to examine the form to determine who has mailed the form to them.  The Engage Texas forms have the Tom Green County mailing address on the application as a convenience to submit the application either for registering or updating voter information if the voter so chooses.  

The Election Office is aware that some of the forms are being mailed to deceased voters and is unsure where the mailing list was obtained which included these voters but reiterates that the Tom Green County election office is not mailing these forms. 

The forms do contain a website address that the person can use to check to see if they are registered and if the information is valid.  Voters may also contact the election office at 325-659-6541 if they wish to verify registration status.

Voters are also reminded that Ballot by Mail applications are only valid for a calendar year so any that were filed in 2019 will expire 12/31/19.  To obtain ballots for 2020, a new application will need to be completed and returned to the election office.  

However, because of the expiration at the end of the year, a request for a 2020 ballot cannot be received before 1/1/20.  Applicants are reminded that, if they wish to vote in the primary, they must provide a party affiliation for the request.

For more information contact the election office at 325-659-6541.