Politics
Texas voters on suspense list remain eligible to cast ballots upon address verification
Election officials clarify that the routine 1.2 million voter suspense list does not cancel registrations ahead of upcoming elections.
The short version
- Over 1.2 million registered voters in Texas are currently on the state's suspense list due to potential address discrepancies.
- Being placed on the suspense list does not cancel a voter's registration or prevent them from casting a ballot.
- Affected individuals who have not moved can vote by completing a statement of residence, while those who relocated have options to update their records or cast limited ballots.
- Election administrators encourage all voters to verify their registration status before the October 5 deadline.
Key facts
- As of March 2026, the Texas Secretary of State's Office listed more than 1.2 million individuals, roughly 6.6% of the state's registered electorate, as suspense voters.[Associated Press]
- Voters are placed on the suspense list when election mail, such as registration certificates or jury summonses, is returned as undeliverable or indicates a change of address.[Associated Press]
- The suspense list is a routine roll-maintenance mechanism established in 1995 following the federal National Voter Registration Act.[Associated Press]
- The current figure aligns with previous election cycles, which saw about 1.24 million suspense voters before the 2022 midterms and 2.12 million before the 2024 election.[Associated Press]
- Under state and federal law, a voter's registration cannot be canceled solely for not voting and requires two subsequent federal election cycles without response or voting activity following a cancellation warning notice.[Associated Press]