That takes us back to deputization. In Texas, you can’t register someone to vote unless you’ve been certified by the particular county where you’re doing the registering. Battleground Texas has been focused on getting volunteers deputized this summer in its efforts to build out an infrastructure ahead of an election year. “Our role is to fill the gap, to train 2,000 people in the counties—we’re really trying to inject that kind of energy and focus in [the] registration process,” Bird says.
Overall civic activity in Travis County has certainly picked up since January; voter rolls have a net increase of 20,000 voters, and 1,300 people have been deputized. Deputization is typically closer to 200 or 300 this time of year, says Travis County Tax Assessor Collector Bruce Elfant, who conducts deputization trainings for any group of 10 or more.
But has that enthusiasm translated into the dollars necessary to build out a party infrastructure? Battleground Texas, which posted fundraising totals in July, has raised $1.1 million since February, with the majority of contributions coming from within the state. Brown says August fundraising has exceeded expectations.
“It is terrific that the national spotlight is being shone on Texas. In the past, we operated like an ATM: People come to Texas and raise money and leave, and now Battleground and other efforts suggest we’re going to keep that money here,” Anchia says.
The jury is still out. “There are commitments being made to Texas to turn that around, but it hasn’t really except in the smallest amount of instances,” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said. “In other words, it’s still an ATM machine.”
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