/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Contreras.jpeg)
Natalia Contreras covers election administration and voting access for Votebeat in partnership with The Texas Tribune. She has covered a range of topics as a community journalist including local government, public safety, immigration and social issues. Natalia previously reported for the Austin American-Statesman, focusing on impacts of government policies on communities of color. Natalia previously worked at the Indianapolis Star, where she helped launch the first Spanish-language newsletter, and at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. She was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas in Mexico and grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is based in Corpus Christi.
State lawmakers approved the requirement — which attracted little attention or debate — in their massive overhaul of the state’s voting laws during a 2021 special Legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6a5088411e9c9013725f2c53ea68400f/Hays%20County%20Election%20Test%20EL%2008.jpg)
For decades, the attorney general’s office advised counties to keep ballots for 22 months after an election. Then Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion saying they could be quickly released to anyone who requested them. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9806318ab5127e74139c89eee4a52464/Tarrant%20County%20Election%20Day%20ST%2023.jpg)
Although no evidence of widespread voter fraud has been found, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been actively pursuing election-related crimes since he took office in 2015. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a87a413a52e2fbcb4a64b69de1112dfa/0110%20Lege%20Opening%20BD%20TT%2039.jpg)
Some sites opened late and reportedly ran out of paper in November, but the county says its investigation into the issues “has not yet revealed” whether anyone was turned away. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8e855eb6ce9b1858717106f940453dc5/1108%20Harris%20County%20Vote%20MS%20TT%2002.jpg)
Thrust into the job at a contentious time, Scott believed defending the integrity of Texas elections was his top priority Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a2bc576436b557f2a6a7d9e1c7f79051/SOS%20John%20Scott%20SF%20TT%2002.jpg)
In the latest fallout from Election Day woes, a GOP judicial candidate is suing to overturn her loss, citing unspecified data and “2,000 reports” of polling place problems. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2f4ca287aa39c772bd1c063e9925aac8/1108%20Houston%20Election%20Day%20MS%20TT%2005.jpg)
After a last-minute challenge from the attorney general, county commissioners agreed to certify those provisional votes in time for the canvassing deadline. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/bc0f46f36f7d6728a3b4c3da87e0cf5e/1108%20Election%20Day%20Houston%20BV%20TT%2035.jpg)
The state’s biggest county has no central system for tracking problems, so it still can’t say how many polling places opened late, ran out of paper or worked just fine. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/09035d640b71a0f067ecea3b1eaf3da0/1108%20Harris%20County%20Vote%20MS%20REEDIT%2031.jpg)
In the face of their suspicions and threats, Tarrant County Elections Administrator Heider Garcia didn’t fight back. He welcomed them in and listened. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/266ec631fdaef71bfb67bdd27d78b63e/1108%20Tarrant%20County%20Election%20ST%2037B.jpg)
Asian voters were most disproportionately affected by the new ID requirements included in voting restrictions passed by the 2021 Legislature, a Brennan Center for Justice analysis found. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f0ce321e4f3fff7f4d7c3fdb257717ef/Harris%20Co%20Ballot%20Drop%20Off%20AM%20TT%2013.jpg)