Mail-in Ballots Are Down For 2006

During the early voting period this year in Texas, voting is up over the figures for 2002. But the significant rise in the number of walk-in early voters has been offset somewhat by a sharp dip in the number of mail-in ballots requested. Here in Tarrant County, we are seeing a drop in mail-in ballots of 62%. Statewide, the drop is 26%.

Tarrant County Elections Administrator, Steve Raborn, said he has no idea why the number of mail-in ballot requests has fallen so sharply. But Amber Moon, Democratic spokeswoman, said she believes the drop in mail-in ballots is happening mainly in Democratic strongholds. She attributes the drop to recent suppression tactics by the Republican Attorney General. Ms. Moon said, "Vote by mail in our communities have suffered more because our people have the attorney general's task force following them." In the last few days, a court has ordered the attorney general to stop his voter suppression efforts.

But even though the mail-in ballots have dropped in numbers, the overall early vote is up by 4% statewide over the same period in 2002. Here are the statewide and Tarrant County numbers:

STATEWIDE........2002...........2006..........change

Walk-in...............645,874......694,980......+8%
Mail-in.................84,259........62,578........-26%
Combined............730,133......757,558......+4%

TARRANT............2002...........2006..........change

Walk-in...............75,438........81,284.........+8%
Mail-in.................14,823........5,686..........-62%
Combined............90,261........86,970.........-4%