How the New Voting Law Will Effect West Texas

Governor Greg Abbott has signed Senate Bill 1, so how will that effect voting here in West Texas?

According to NewsWest 9, there are going to be some changes so here is what you need to know.

If you are new to voting in Midland or Ector County you will have to fill out a new ballot by mail form and a new voter application.

If you want to vote by mail you must have a copy of an ID.

"There is a new provision in the ballot by mail that, under the disability portion of it, if a due date, a pregnancy due date is 3 weeks before or 3 weeks after the election date, they are now eligible for a ballot by mail," said Carolyn Graves, Midland County Elections Administrator.

New training exists for poll watchers, so anyone wanting to be a poll watcher will have to enroll in the new training.

"Actually the Secretary of State is working on the handbooks now," Graves said. "Because of SB1, so many things have changed, like our voter registration forms, our ballot by mail forms, and they are working on those. Right now, that's not available."

If you are moving from one county to another in the state of Texas, you can now change your address online, that was not allowed before.

Ballots by mail can only be carried in on Election Day by the person that is voting, so you cannot have a friend drop off your mail ballot for you if you do not mail it in.

This all comes in response to unmerited voter fraud that has no evidence of ever happening in the 2020 election.