Bexar County Prepares for Midterms Amid Registration Backlogs
Bexar County Elections Administrator Michele Carew detailed preparations for early voting, including clearing registration backlogs and clarifying polling location authority.
The Bexar County Elections Office closed to the public on October 15 and 16 to process a surge of election materials, including more than 10,000 voter registration applications and thousands of mail ballots. This administrative closure was designed to prepare the office for the start of early voting on October 19.
During a press conference on October 16, Elections Administrator Michele Carew announced that her office cleared a backlog of 45,000 to 50,000 registration applications resulting from a Texas Department of Public Safety error. Carew also addressed a suspense list of 159,000 voters required to confirm their home addresses, stating that "no one is going to be turned away at the polling locations."
To handle expected high turnout, the office is deploying additional polling equipment to minimize wait times. Carew further clarified that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have no authority to be present at polling sites, noting that only state inspectors and poll watchers are permitted. Early voting is scheduled from October 19 to October 30, leading up to Election Day on November 3.
