Story Created:
Nov 27, 2007 at 5:07 PM CST
Story Updated:
Nov 27, 2007 at 5:07 PM CST
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A state auditor's report says the Texas Secretary of State's Office needs to improve its voter registration oversight.
The auditor's report warns the improvement is needed to ensure that no dead people or ineligible felons are registered to vote.
The audit examined state voter rolls for May's election and compared the data to information from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
It found that just over 49,000 voters -- or four-tenths of the state's 12.37 million registered voters -- may have been ineligible. That includes more than 23,000 possible felons and almost 24,000 voters who may be dead. There were duplicate records for almost 2,400 voters.
In Texas, a convicted felon may vote after completing his or her sentence, including probation or parole.
Auditors didn't find any cases of ineligible voters casting ballots.
The Secretary of State is the state's top elections officer. A spokesman for the office says its officials agree with many of the auditor's recommendations and many of the concerns are being addressed.
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On the Net:
Texas Auditor's Office, http://www.sao.state.tx.us
Texas Secretary of State's Office, http://www.sos.state.tx.us
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-11-27-07 1256EST
