HARLINGEN — Nearly every student’s hand went up after Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos asked how many are not happy or don’t trust the candidates for president?
He said it’s OK because there are many other voters still undecided about the presidential race and which candidate to vote for.
And as he surveyed the full TSTC auditorium packed with students, he explained being undecided about the presidential race should not stop someone from voting.
“There’s more to the ballots than those at the top of the tickets,” Cascos said. “Those down ballot races below the presidential race are very important.”
He emphasized the importance of voting in Cameron County where he’s from because there is a district judge race, sheriff race, congressional race and school board races that are also critical.
“I haven’t missed an election in 25 years,” Cascos said. “And the day that I did miss one, I felt guilty.”
He said votes count in a big way at the local level and voters should not be thinking of not voting because nothing changes or their vote doesn’t matter. Every vote matters.
“In 2010 I was running for re-election for county judge and I won by 69 votes,” the Secretary said. “If you all had been voting you could have easily flipped that election.”
Cascos, a former Cameron County judge, was appointed to his state office by Texas Gov. Greg Abbot in 2014.
Cascos and members of his team visited the TSTC campus yesterday to explain to the students about the importance of voting with his statewide campaign he calls Vote Texas.
He came back to the Valley after traveling the state and he plans to continue educating Texas voters through Election Day.
Efforts include special outreach to first-time voters — both students and new Texans — seniors, members of the military and minority groups.
Cascos talked with the students about the seven forms of acceptable photo identification voters will be asked to present at the polls.
“If you really haven’t decided who you’re going to vote for by today there is a strong likelihood that nothing is going to change between today and Nov. 8,” Cascos said. “You are one of many who are in the same position.
“Those down ballot races have a direct impact on our community and your way of life,” Cascos said.
Student Government Secretary Miguel Zamarripa greeted Cascos as he entered an auditorium just as he did all the students as they entered the room to hear Cascos speak about himself and the importance to get out and vote.
“It was a great crowd and several people have come up to me and told me they are going to go vote,” Cascos said. “They weren’t planning to, so my message resonated or inspired them to go vote.”
Cascos said his campaign to get out the vote has been very positive from every campus he’s visited throughout the state.
Last week, he was at Texas Tech, on Thursday he was in Edinburg at UTRGV. And he originally kicked off the campaign in September at UT-Austin.
Zamarripa, 20, from Brownsville, said Casco’s talk was very motivating.
“He was very honest and very open,” Zamarripa said.
He said he has not voted yet but he will be voting early on campus next week when the polling station is brought to campus.
TSTC Provost Dr. Stella Garcia said it was a great opportunity for the students to meet the Texas Secretary of State during his campus visit, and in timely fashion during the first week of early voting.
She and many of the students were able to talk to Cascos and take photos and selfies and talk about voting after his presentation.
“Our students have all the opportunities here to not just get an education but to vote,” Garcia said.
The seven forms of approved photo ID for voting in the General Election are:
Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
Texas license to carry a handgun issued by DPS
United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
United States passport
Supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter does not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo ID and cannot obtain one due to a reasonable impediment:
Valid voter registration certificate
Certified birth certificate (must be an original)
Copy of or original current utility bill
Copy of or original bank statement
Copy of or original government check
Copy of or original paycheck
Copy of or original government document with your name and an address (original required if it contains a photograph)
