YOUR RIGHTS: Building a Better Cameron County, Pt. 1

By MARY HELEN FLORES
Citizens Against Voter Abuse

Mary Helen Flores

Mary Helen Flores

I was born and raised in Brownsville, Texas and am a product of the public school system. After traveling and living in different parts of the state and country, I came back home and graduated from TSC/UTB in 1999 with degrees in psychology and social work. I have worked for various nonprofit agencies helping children and families reach a better place in life. My passion is helping to improve our local quality of life for my family and community. I have learned that nothing will more effectively improve our quality of life than having clean, fair, transparent elections each and every time.

Citizens Against Voter Abuse was formed in 2010 after I witnessed how mail-in ballots are stolen and vulnerable people are manipulated for their votes by politiqueras and politiqueros in Cameron County elections. We define a politiquera/o as a person who is paid to illegally solicit votes by a candidate for public office. It is CAVA’s mission to end the abuse of the mail-in ballot system in Cameron County. It is our goal to end all types of corruption in our local electoral processes. We will accomplish this through education. Education and awareness of voter rights, and election code laws are the keys to protect our democratic system of government. We must not allow our elections to be tainted at any step in the electoral process. Working together as active, engaged citizens to keep current on information and hold elected officials and their administrations accountable is the way to bring change. Having a clean, fair, transparent electoral process will ensure authentic results. Having clean, fair, transparent elections will build confidence among the people that their votes really do count, thus increasing voter participation. Ultimately, having clean, fair, transparent elections will produce clean, fair, transparent candidates for public office. Knowledge of the Texas Election Code is step number one on the road to taking control of our elections.

The Texas Election Code contains the statutes (laws) that govern the electoral process in our state. To view the election code online please see: Statutes.legis.state.tx.us.

In this column, I will provide an at-a-glance overview of the laws that, at times, have been disregarded in local elections.

The most basic information a voter should know are their 10 voter rights. They are as follows: 1.) You have the right to a ballot with written instructions on how to cast a ballot; 2.) You have the right to ask the polling place official for instructions on how to cast a ballot (but not suggestions on how to vote); 3.) YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN SECRET AND FREE FROM INTIMIDATION; 4.) You have the right to receive up to two more ballots if you make a mistake while marking the ballot; 5.) You have the right to bring an interpreter to assist you as you qualify to vote if you do not understand the English language; 6.) You have the right to help to cast your ballot IF you cannot write, see the ballot, or understand the language in which it is written; 7.) You have the right to report a possible voting rights abuse to the Secretary of State (1-800-252-8683) or to your local election office (Cameron County: 956-544-0809); 8.) YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CAST A PROVISIONAL BALLOT IF YOUR NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE LIST OF REGISTERED VOTERS OR YOU DO NOT HAVE PROPER IDENTIFICATION; 9.) You have the right to vote once at any early voting location during the early voting period within the territory conducting the election; 10) You have the right to file an administrative complaint with the Secretary of State concerning violations of federal and state voting procedures.

Your VOTER RIGHTS are laws that must never be violated by anyone.

I ask that any person who may have had any of their voter rights violated during the May 10th San Benito municipal or school board elections to please contact me at 956-280-5965. You may also join Citizens Against Voter Abuse on Facebook. Together we can build a better Cameron County.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/07/23/its-your-rights-building-a-better-cameron-county-pt-1/

5 comments

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  1. I agree with the previous blogs and trust me people CAVA will get to the bottom of voter fraud in San Benito. The word is out and we all know that there’s a few people who are so greedy for power that they would take advantage of the mail in ballot system. In the beginning on the school board election Rosalinda Garcia picked up 50-100 mail in ballots, Oscar Medrano did as well. So if this process focuses on mail in ballot fraud there you go! By the way, it’s public record and there names are associated with the requests. Plus, there’s another person who works with the state who also focuses on mail in ballots because he has all the elderly people information from the States database. This is the word on the street and it’s for real people. Our voter rights need to be respected and protected so all you corrupted people who violated my right must pay, big time… Keep up the good work CAVA!!!!

  2. CAVA brings a breath of fresh air to San Benito, and we can’t wait for the results of the investigation. We the tax payers of our town demand our rights as voters and should not be tampered with or disrespected by power hungry corrupted politicians. We know it’s all about greed, but voter fraud is just out right wrong and these people should be prosecuted. The word on the street is that CAVA don’t mess around, so all you individuals that committed voter fraud should start packing your bags to spend some time at the big house. It will be a good day San Benito when all the trash is picked up! We will finally breath fresh non polluted air!!!! Good day….

    • Reform San Benito on July 24, 2014 at 5:19 pm
    • Reply

    CAVA is a prime example of what ordinary citizens can accomplish in bringing change to their communities. Not that Mary Helen Flores is ordinary; she’s extraordinary for all she’s accomplished along with the others who work with her. Their work is a catalyst to ending the corruption in our local politics and one of the best safeguards we citizens have for fair elections and future elected officials who work for us citizens.

    Welcome to San Benito, CAVA! Your presence is desperately needed and greatly appreciated.

    • WeThePeople on July 24, 2014 at 3:57 pm
    • Reply

    Thank you for looking into the voting irregularities as voiced by many people in the community. Unfortunately over the years a lot of honest people have ‘opted out’ of the voting process since there has been so much fraud. The fraudulent ‘harvesting of votes’ and ballot box tampering has gone on long enough and will no longer be tolerated by the good people of San Benito.
    We agree with your statement, and then some: our VOTER RIGHTS are laws that must never be violated by anyone…again, EVER. Thank you again Mary Helen Flores and CAVA!

  3. The voters in San Benito will get their vindication after the results of the CAVA investigation. We were shocked at some of the outcomes in the school board races along with the results spread. Let me make myself clear people, there are board members on the panel that should be there and we know it. How they won is still the question!! It’s so disturbing that CAVA got involved to expose our election process. Only in San Benito will there be voter fraud for political seats that don’t pay!!! Or do they.. We can’t wait for the results of the investigation, and rightfully so, the individuals who committed voter fraud must pay!!!!!!

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