Natalia Contreras
@nataliaecm.bsky.social
Texas elections reporter for Votebeat -- the only US news organization focused on voting access and election administration. Reach me at ncontreras@votebeat.org
NEW: Texas counties receive subpoenas for voters’ records from the Department of Homeland Security #txlege www.votebeat.org/texas/2026/0...
DHS subpoenas Texas counties for voters’ histories and registrations
At least three counties have been contacted this week for detailed records about some individual voters.
votebeat.org
Scoop from @nataliaecm.bsky.social: After hand-counting primary ballots, Republicans in Calhoun County, TX, failed to submit results to the county within 24 hours of polls closing, a violation of state law. www.votebeat.org/texas/2026/0...
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Texas reporter @nataliaecm.bsky.social went to Eastland County, Texas to watch Republicans hand count their primary ballots. The counting was still ongoing on Wednesday morning, more than 12 hours after polls closed. www.votebeat.org/texas/2026/0...
More than 12 hours after polls closed, Republicans in Eastland County, Texas, are still hand counting primary ballots
The county party chose to tally GOP primary ballots by hand this year, delaying results and causing logistical headaches for election administrators
votebeat.org
NEW: This week we learned Texas has agreed and submitted the state's entire voter roll to the DOJ. It includes voters' partial social security numbers and DLs. More on why this matters #txlege www.votebeat.org/texas/2026/0...
Texas shares entire voter registration list with the Trump administration
Texas turned over data on more than 18 million voters, including partial Social Security numbers, as Democrats raise questions about voter privacy
votebeat.org
NEW: Texas flagged more than 2,000 potential noncitizens on the voter rolls for county officials to investigate, but hundreds registered at DPS and may have already shown proof of citizenship 🔗
NEW: Texas counties look into ‘potential noncitizens’ on voter rolls. Here’s what they’re finding: -US citizens -data entry errors (we don’t have online voter registration) -Registrations from DPS (the agency requires proof of citizenship) -Noncitizens who never voted #txlege
ICYMI: I've been reporting on problems with the state's overhaul of its voter registration system. Now, election officials, district clerks, county judges/commissioners, tax assessors are asking the state to halt the rollout and fix the problems first #txlege www.votebeat.org/texas/2025/1...
Texas election officials seek pause on new voter registration system
With early voting just days away, counties say they’re running out of time to get their complaints addressed.
votebeat.org
Efforts to hand-count ballots haven't ceased in Texas. Republicans in Dallas County want to try it. In Gillespie County, they'll do it again. In other counties, Republicans are considering it. By law, there's still no way to audit hand count results #txlege www.votebeat.org/texas/2025/1...
How Dallas County GOP’s vote to hand-count ballots could roil the March primary
“Let’s not forget this is the way it used to be done,” says the county GOP chair. Other counties that have tried it encountered counting errors and discrepancies.
votebeat.org
ICYM: I've been reporting on issues election officials are experiencing with the state's latest revamp of its voter registration system, known as TEAM. The issues have led to backlogs of tens of thousands of voter registration applications🧵 #txlege
County election officials in Texas have seen the effects anecdotally, they tell @nataliaecm.bsky.social “Unfortunately, the voters have to jump through so many hoops to get into that corrective-action loop, that they just get frustrated and they give up," one said. www.votebeat.org/texas/2025/0...
How Texas’ new ID laws for mail voting are affecting turnout
A new study from NYU’s Brennan Center looks at the impact of Senate Bill 1 on voter participation, including the rising “cost of voting.”
votebeat.org
Redistricting could further burden election officials in Texas, @nataliaecm.bsky.social reports. "In a typical redistricting cycle year, the process of adapting to new maps is labor-intensive for election officials and takes months." www.texastribune.org/2025/08/08/t...
Texas redistricting standoff complicates preparations for March 2026 primary
New maps would mean months of work for election officials, and key deadlines are approaching.
texastribune.org
Wisconsin Senate will forgo a dedicated election committee https://www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/2025/01/07/wisconsin-senate-has-no-designated-election-committee/
Wisconsin Senate has no election committee. Where will bills go instead?
The first election-related legislation, which would enshrine the state’s photo ID requirement for voters in the constitution, got referred to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety committee.
votebeat.org