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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.
New research from the Brennan Center for Justice suggests that 2021 ID requirements in a recent overhaul of Texas election laws could explain some of the drop in mail voting. Full Story
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Senate Bill 16 is imperiled after missing a deadline in the House. It was among the most sweeping proof-of-citizenship proposals in the U.S. and would have applied retroactively to all voters. Full Story
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Texas is one of eight states without universal online voter registration. A lawmaker pushing for it says he’ll continue the fight. Full Story
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The bill would reduce the minimum number of polling places that Texas counties must have, rolling back a 2023 law that created challenges for election administrators. Full Story
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Democrats and other critics say Texas legislation threatens to keep citizens who can’t easily access the right documents from voting. Full Story
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Voting rights advocates worry that legislation approved by House and Senate committees could make it harder to get more people on the rolls. Full Story
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Some lawmakers say a bill requiring counties to switch to TEAM would make it easier to monitor voter rolls. But the system has had its problems. Full Story
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The proposal would require counties who opt for hand counts to use ballots that can be scanned and tabulated by a voting machine. Full Story
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Senate Bill 16 would create new barriers for voters and new burdens for election officials. Full Story
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The remaining plaintiffs in the case are organizations representing Latino and Black voters, with a trial set to begin May 21. Full Story
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