The Erath County Elections Office recently released the following information from the Texas Association of County Election Officials regarding suspense list questions.
The Suspense List is an address question, not an eligibility question when it comes to voting.
If a county has reason to believe a voter no longer lives at the address on file — most often because the voter’s registration certificate, a jury summons, or other county mail came back from the Postal Service as undeliverable — the registrar must send a written confirmation notice, and the voter is placed on the suspense list. Suspense means the county needs to confirm an address. It does not mean the registration was suspended, cancelled, or removed.
■ A voter on suspense who has not moved, or who has moved within the same county, may vote after completing a Statement of Residence at the polling place or with a mail ballot. Voters in counties that do not use countywide polling places may be directed to their assigned precinct to do so.
■ A voter who has moved to a different county and did not re-register in time may be eligible to vote a limited ballot — available only during early voting, at the county’s main early voting site.
■ The cleanest fix is to update the record: submit a voter registration application with the current address, or update online with a Texas driver license or state ID, before the October 5, 2026 registration deadline.
■ A registration is not cancelled for nonresponse alone until the voter has remained on suspense through two consecutive federal general elections without responding or voting. The Suspense list in 2026 is consistent with recent election cycles, the association stated.
Texans move fairly frequently, both within their own county and across the state. As such, it is not abnormal to have a high number of voters whose addresses have not been verified as current within the past two years. The number of suspense voters currently being reported is consistent with and often lower than what Texas has seen in past general election cycles:
• In November 2024, Texas had 2 million voters in “suspense” status out of 18.6 million registered voters.
• In November 2022, Texas had 1.8 million voters in “suspense” status out of 17.6 million registered voters.
• In November 2020, Texas had 1.6 million voters in “suspense” status out of 16.9 million registered voters.
Suspense List FAQ’s Q: Can I still vote if my registration is on “suspense”?
A: Yes! Q: What do I need to do to get off the suspense list?
A: If you cast a ballot while your registration is on “suspense” status will need to complete a Statement of Residence – either at the polling place or when casting a ballot by mail – confirming your current address. You can also update your registration information online or submit a new voter registration application to your county voter registrar before the October 5 voter registration deadline.
Q: How did I get on the suspense list?
A: The most common reason is that your voter registration certificate was returned as undeliverable when sent to your address on file. Official mail sent by governmental entities that is returned as undeliverable can trigger your registration being put in “suspense” status.