To be eligible to vote in Texas, one must be a United States citizen; a resident of the Texas county where the application is made; at least eighteen years of age on Election Day; not convicted of a felony (with additional circumstances); and, not be mentally incapacitated as determined by a court (Texas voting).

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Since once of the criteria to vote in Texas involves not having a felony record, this negatively impacts African American males, who represent one-half of the total number of incarcerated population in the United States (Criminal Justice, n.d.). In addition, because of the new voter ID law in Texas, the elderly and those from low-income areas would also be impacted. Some elderly citizens no longer drive and do not have a license to show as an ID. People from low-income areas, who rely on public transit and also do not have a driver’s license, may have to travel to a location to get a voter ID. Single parents with young children may also be inconvenienced in getting a voter ID if they do not drive. In sum, the new voter ID law created an obstacle for some people who don’t have a driver’s license or military ID.

According to a study conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, “Texas has one of the nation’s lowest political and civic participation rates” (Texas ranks, 2013). The new voter ID law in Texas in 2014 kept some voters from going to the polls. The number of people who voted in 2014 in Texas dropped that year (Ramsey, 2014).

One of the ways Texas could increase voter turnout is to figure out ways to make it as easy as possible for those without a driver’s license or military ID to get a voter ID. Setting up voter ID registration areas in senior and community centers may help those who find it difficult to get around. Volunteers could also go door to door and drop off a printed sheet with easy instructions on how to get a voter ID card.

    References
  • Cacos, C. Texas voting (2016). Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved from http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/pamphlets/largepamp.shtml
  • Criminal Justice Fact Sheet (n.d.) NAACP. Retrieved from http://www.naacp.org/pages/criminal-justice-fact-sheet
  • Ramsey, R. (2014). Turnout down in Texas, and Democrats claim a reason: Voter ID Law. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/us/turnout-down-in-texas-and-democrats-claim-a-reason-voter-id-law.html?_r=0