Thread by @TexasTribune

1/ Today is #NationalVoterRegistrationDay, and in Texas the deadline to register to vote is just 13 days away on Oct. 5.

The pandemic has made it much harder to register voters. bit.ly/3iSoY1u

2/ In the first 7 months of 2020, new registrations in Texas were down nearly 24% compared with 2016.

In April alone, registrations dropped 70%. And while there has been an increase over the summer, it will likely not compensate for the earlier decrease. bit.ly/3iSoY1u

3/ "I think it’s fair to say the pandemic had a huge impact on new voter registration activity. You can’t go door to door and get people to register right now."

Democratic and Republican groups have had to abandon traditional in-person methods. bit.ly/3iSoY1u

4/ While forty-one states have passed legislation to allow residents to register to vote online, Texas is not one of them. The state’s Republican leadership has long fought efforts to allow for an online voter registration process. bit.ly/3iSoY1u

5/ Currently, Texans trying to register using the state’s online portal must fill out a blank registration form, print it and send it to their county registrar, a method that disproportionately affects lower-income residents who do not own printers. bit.ly/3iSoY1u

6/ Still, many groups are working to reach potential voters online. Some websites, like Register2Vote.org, help voters fill out the application online, and then mail the filled out form with a stamped return envelope to them. bit.ly/3iSoY1u

7/7 Read this thread for everything you need to know about voting in Texas this year.