At least 1,929 Bexar County voters who cast a ballot in the March 1 primary did not have their vote counted, largely due to a requirement under a new, controversial voting law.
– At least 1,929 Bexar County voters who cast a ballot in the March 1 primary did not have their vote counted, largely due to a technicality under a new, controversial voting law.
On election night, Callanen told reporters the county was running at about a 35% rejection rate for mail ballots. Before SB 1 went into effect, she said a typical election would “probably” have a 2% or 3% rejection rate.SB 1 made numerous rule changes for voting, including a requirement for voters to write the ID number associated with their registration on the envelope of a mail ballot -- either a state ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
“If I got to be leader for the day, I would redesign that form because the form says to give either your TDL ‘or’ the last four of your social. So they gave one, but we had the other one on file,” Callanen said. “So I would love to do nothing better to change that ‘or’ to ‘and’ and give us both so that we stand a better chance.”
Callanen said the county attempted to reach voters whose ballots were initially rejected with phone calls, emails, and letters.Voters had the next six days following the election -- ending on 5 p.m. Monday -- to “cure” their ballot so it could be counted, whether by coming to the election department in downtown San Antonio, or online through the Secretary of State’s website.
Although, in general, Democrats cast more ballots by mail than Republicans in the primary, Callanen could not say if they had the same rejection rate.