Texas Democrat cries foul at GOP registering voters at driver's license offices

[TexasTowelie]

AUSTIN -- A conservative political action committee set up shop outside driver's license offices in Tarrant County this week, drawing the ire of Grand Prairie Democratic Rep. Chris Turner.

In a letter he wrote Tuesday to Steve McCraw, the director of the Department of Public Safety, Turner noted that he visited two offices where he witnessed workers targeting Republican voters while people waited in long lines.

"Specifically, individuals were engaging DPS customers directly in front of the doors to the offices and asking them if they would sign a petition to 'ban late-term abortion,' " Turner described in his letter. "The petition was actually a form on an electronic tablet, prompting the customer to fill out their name, address, email and phone number, as well as answer some survey questions. If a person signed the petition, they are then asked if they are registered to vote."

Link to tweet

He said the people collecting signatures were working with Engage Texas, a conservative PAC, and assured him they had permission from DPS to conduct their business on site.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2019/08/27/texas-democrat-cries-foul-gop-registering-voters-drivers-license-offices

[AllaN01Bear]

1. hem

why is it ok for rs do things like this and when ds do it ,it isnt ok?

[Susan Calvin]

2. The way I heard it,

they are asking people if they are liberal or conservative. That's code for Democratic or Republican. And they don't get to do that at any kind of voter registration drive no matter where it is . As is often said Republicans can't win unless they cheat. Which they are very good at

[LeftInTX]

4. The only obligation we have is to register everyone who requests registration

We can't turn anyone way, so basically they aren't doing anything illegal. But yes if Dems did this, they would pounce all over it.

It is permissible to register voters at candidate events. You can have candidate stickers on your clipboard etc. Hence it is kind of the same thing. A Republican probably wouldn't want to talk to a registrar with a Hillary sticker on her clipboard.

[Susan Calvin]

7. Wow.

I must admit to having always assumed that the person doing the registering couldn't ask anything of the person being registered except the necessary information to register them . I guess I assumed that because it seems the proper thing.

[LeftInTX]

8. If you ID yourself as a registrar and are registering voters and they want

to register, you must register them.

What these people are doing is the partisan stuff first and then they selectively tell them that they're registering voters. It would be a crime if they refused to register someone who asked to be registered or if they offered to register someone and changed their mind once they found out the person's political leaning.

It's a subtle difference, than refusing to register people.

[Susan Calvin]

9. Huh.

There may be a legal difference, but I don't see any substantive difference.

[sandensea]

3. This brings back memories.

I lived in Hurst for a couple of years, some years ago.

When you voted in the primaries, the Republicans were shown to the school lobby - and aging but ample and well-lit room.

They were welcomed by a slightly clownish church lady that gave everyone a hearty "well-hello-there-how-are-youuuu!"

Democrats were pointed to a little room off to the side that looked like it had been used for storage.

We were welcomed by a crudely-written cardboard sign that simply said: DEMOCRATS --->

Oh, well.

[LeftInTX]

5. In Medina County the Republicans put up a huge sign in front of the polling location:

"Republicans vote here!"

[sandensea]

6. Yeah. It's almost a one-party autocracy in many of the majority-white areas in Texas.

And indeed in much of the South.

The prevailing sentiment - among the Republicans anyway - seems to be: "We're white, we're under assault by darker races, and if ya'll vote Dummycrat, you're traitors."

I'm not saying all Southern Republicans feel that way - but a lot of the ones I've met over the years (MS, TX, TN, VA) do.

But there are lots of progressive white voters in the South too - no doubt about it. As sophisticated politically as any you'll meet in New York or L.A.

They just have to be a little more careful about sharing their views, that's all.