Testing Floyd County's election machines ahead of primary early voting on February 11, 2022 at the Floyd County Courthouse. (Ryan Crowe/FCR)
FLOYDADA, TX—As the Texas State Legislature considers eliminating the Countywide Poll Place Program, Floyd County Clerk KeeLee Rawls is contacting elected members to explain why the program is important to rural voters, especially in Floyd County.
Below is a letter Rawls authored. She is asking those in the county who are happy with the voting process within the communities to reach out to elected members in Austin as well.
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February 19th, 2025
RE: SB 76 and SB 77, Opposing any legislation to eliminate the Countywide Poll Place Program, Electronic Ballot Marking Devices and Electronic Poll Books.
Dear Texas House Representative,
My name is KeeLee N. Rawls. I am the Honorable Floyd County Clerk who also serves as the Early Voting Clerk. Prior to becoming an Elected Official, I served for multiple years as the Elections Director for Floyd County, Texas.
I am writing you this letter with concern and regards to the proposed elimination of the CWPP. The Partisan Bill, Senate Bill 76, written by Hall, which also accompanies and is identical to HB 2990 by Lowe, is of high concern to our Rural County, Floyd, which was filed November 12th, 2024, introduced and read the first time February 3rd, 2025 as well as referred to State Affairs.
I have also included the Resolution Opposing any legislation to eliminate the CWPP that was approved and passed by the Floyd County Commissioners Court, forum being: Honorable, County Judge Marty Lucke, Honorable, County Commissioner Precinct 1, Tanner Smith, Honorable, County Commissioner Precinct 2, Clint Bigham, Honorable, County Commissioner Precinct 3, Tanner Young, Honorable, County Commissioner Precinct 4, David Martinez.
We, (The Floyd County Clerk, Floyd County Commissioners Court and Floyd County Voter Registrar) strongly oppose any Senate Bill that would change the way ALL elections process’ are conducted in Floyd County. Our County has participated in the County Wide Polling Place Program since 2010. We also conduct voting by personal appearance and ballot by mail voting with Electronic Ballot Marking Devices and Electronic Poll Books.
We are a rural County, with the total number of registered voters as of January 2025 being 3,657. In the November 2024 General Election, the County had 2,094 registered voters vote by public appearance, 84 vote by mail as well as Military and Overseas Voters. Our highest wait time to vote by personal appearance was 4 minutes during early voting and 7 minutes on election day. Without the CWPP and Electronic Ballot Marking Devices and Electronic Poll Books this would NOT have been possible.
Eliminating the program, electronic ballot marking devices and electronic poll books would be detrimental to our County in many ways being:
– As a rural county, it is very difficult to employ the adequate amount of election staff to abide by the laws set in place regarding the number required to staff polling locations. If we did not have the program, it is very concerning to myself, as the Early Voting Clerk, that we would not have the resources, i.e.: financially, willing to work, available to work the allotted times or qualified to staff all polling locations/precincts in the county.
– If the program was eliminated, as a rural county, we do not have buildings in all of the precincts that would be compliant with the laws, nor accessible. The county would be ultimately responsible to find a way to obtain portable buildings, which comes for more financial cost having to make those buildings compliant. The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) declares that any state or jurisdiction that terminates use of an accessible voting system is in clear violation of existing law and is at high risk of litigation, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) acknowledges that hand-marked ballots are not accessible and do not allow voters with disabilities to cast a private and independent vote;
– The total number of voters, seeing as majority of our registered voters, vote near their place of employment rather than near their residence. We have always had positive feedback from the community about the program and how much it has helped for them to have a polling place accessible with low wait times where they can vote during or on their breaks from employment. It would majorly decrease the overall voter turnout totals.
– Our county uses electronic ballot marking devices to ensure that every vote that is cast is ALWAYS a secure and confidential vote that is marked clearly to ensure at any time the public files for a re-count the voters’ intent is clear and there is not any error for the ballot boards and signature verification boards to try to understand the markings; mis-marked choices, multiple marks for 1 office, cross-outs, etc.
– Using electronic ballot marking devices significantly lowers the wait time in our polling locations, and the time and cost to employee boards to hand count each and every ballot. It ensures the security for ALL ballots cast, procedures for the poll booths, asset management tracking, and most importantly upholding the integrity of each and every election.
– Using electronic poll books benefits our counties in many ways. As the Early Voting Clerk, I am able to watch the polling locations, wait time, voters checking in, and over all statistics. Per State Law we are required to submit an end of day report of all voters who have checked in as well as post those reports to our county websites. WithOUT this electronic poll book, that would mean employing more staff to transport check-in list at the end of the day as well as having office staff to type and report all voters. By using the electronic poll books, there is less room for error. The poll books all communicate with each other so there can not be a voter checking in multiple places.
– Over all, these bills and concerns go hand in hand and without the CWPP, Electronic Ballot Marking Devices and Electronic Poll Books we all could spend countless hours discussing the negative impact it would have on our rural county as well as many other rural counties, not only around us, but all over the State of Texas.
As the County Clerk that serves as the Early Voting Clerk, I am very passionate about conducting and maintaining the integrity for ALL elections that are conducted in our county. I am very driven and passionate about educating the younger generations about voting and elections process’, working with our local news sources to notify the public of the upcoming elections, conducting elections for our municipalities, and notifying the public about the deadlines for registering to vote, all ballot by mail process’, etc.
I appreciate your help and ask that you please send me a response letting me know if you are able to oppose any future Senate Bills that would affect Floyd County from remaining in the County Wide Polling Place Program, or any bills affecting the elimination of Electronic Ballot Marking Devices and Electronic Poll Books.
Sincerely,
KeeLee N. Rawls
Floyd County Clerk
105 S. Main, Room 101
Floydada, Tx 79235
