Empowering Voters, Strengthening Communities: PHNTX Takes on Voter Registration

At Prism Health North Texas (PHNTX), we know that access to healthcare and access to the ballot box go hand-in-hand.  That’s why we’re making voter registration a priority in our community engagement efforts.

Our Policy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement (P.A.C.E) team advocates for the health and rights of all Texans, educating the community on policies that impact their lives. With the Texas 89th legislative session concluded, the team is gearing up for its next project, using PHNTX’s resources to help people register to vote.

Why Voter Registration Matters to PHNTX

“Prism Health North Texas is very fortunate to have a Policy and Advocacy team because we believe that healthcare matters at all levels,” says Januari Fox, PHNTX P.A.C.E. Director. “We follow healthcare policy and other policies that impact our community at a federal, state, and local level. Part of that is voter registration, that’s what we‘re focused on right now.”

As the Marketing and Content Associate at PHNTX, I’m often tasked with recapping the incredible work our staff is doing but this was a chance for me to actively participate in and be a part of an important initiative. So when I was asked if I would be interested in becoming a Voter Deputy Registrar (VDR), I was all in.

“We are becoming Volunteer Deputy Registrars because it is a great way for us to recruit more people into the political process and get them engaged in voting,” says Enriquez. “We’re excited to do this, and we hope to encourage more people to become VDRs with us in the future.”

What is a Volunteer Deputy Registrar?

In Texas, a Volunteer Deputy Registrar, not to be confused with a County Deputy Registrar Official, is officially appointed to voluntarily help register eligible Texans to vote – a key way to strengthen democracy at the local level. VDRs can register voters in the county in which they are appointed, and may receive appointments in multiple counties.

“We chose to become VDRs in Tarrant, Dallas, Collin, and Denton County because that’s where most of our patients live,” Fox says.

The process to become a VDR can vary from county to county.  To become a VDR you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age or older
• Be a U.S. citizen

• Be a Texas Resident
• Be legally eligible to vote

Each county has its own process to appoint VDRs, but typically requires you to pass a brief exam. Once certified, you can then present your certificate to other counties, often bypassing additional testing.

Upon arriving at our first stop, the Tarrant County Elections Office, we read through a quick study guide, and each took a multiple-choice test. The passing of the test came along with an official VDR certificate, which meant that we could legally register Tarrant County residents to vote.

We pressed on and traveled to the remaining counties elections offices one by one. We provided proof of our Tarrant County VDR certificate, filled out the required paperwork at each office and became VDRs for Dallas, Collin, and Denton counties.

The responsibility of being a VDR is not one to be taken lightly. At each Elections County Office, it was reinforced to us that failing to uphold the rules and requirements of the voter registration process can not only result in voter registration applications being delayed or rejected, but there can also be serious legal consequences for the VDR.

Nevertheless, it was both exciting and empowering to receive my certifications and commit to doing my part to engage potential voters.

Workshops and Community Outreach Coming Soon

Looking ahead, Fox says that her team plans to host workshops encouraging community members to become VDRs themselves. During these workshops, people can learn more about the process as well as the impact VDRs can have on elections.

“One of the most important steps in voter engagement is ensuring that people are trained to properly register voters in their counties. One of our goals for the fall is to make it easy and accessible for people to become Deputy Voter Registrars in Dallas County – details coming soon!” says Fox.

For now, we plan to use our VDR responsibility to help get community members registered to vote through community events, outreach programs, and other strategic methods.

You can find a calendar of upcoming PHNTX events here where you may run into a PNHTX VDR ready to help you get registered!

For questions regarding PHNTX Policy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement initiatives, please reach out to Javier Enriquez at [email protected].