Earlier today, the Texas Secretary of State announced its office will provide fewer voter registration forms to eligible voters, blaming a lack of paper supply. The paper form is the only method available to voters needing to register to vote or update their voting preferences. That’s because Texas is one of eight states that do not offer online voter registration.  

Statement from Common Cause Texas Executive Director Anthony Gutierrez

“The role of government is to solve problems—not create them—but that’s exactly what the Texas Secretary of State’s office has done.  

Today’s news is the result of a state government run by people intent on making it as hard as possible to vote in Texas and have a say in the decisions that impact our lives. 

For years, Common Cause Texas has pushed for online voter registration that would save taxpayer money, make it easier to register and vote, and eliminate the dependence on paper forms. In fact, 42 other states already offer voters the opportunity to register online—right from their own living room.  

So let’s be clear, this is not about a paper shortage—it’s about voter suppression.  

The Governor repeatedly touts Texas as the “new tech mecca” when his own elections office comes to a grinding halt without a steady supply of paper. He says we’re “the undisputed capital of digital and tech” when we are one of eight states that don’t offer voters access to online voter registration.  

The people of Texas expect our government to work as hard we do and to be as innovative as we are. A lack of paper should not keep voters from casting a ballot or having their vote fairly counted.  

This is a problem that’s easily solvable. We ask that the state immediately take steps to fix this problem that they have manufactured.  

It’s time for the state of Texas to join the 21st century, and the rest of the country, and provide online voter registration to every eligible voter in Texas.”