By RAY QUIROGA
publisher@sbnewspaper.com
Approximately a dozen area residents packed into a private clubhouse just outside the San Benito City Limits on a recent Friday evening to be trained as Volunteer Deputy Registrars (VDRs).
By the end of the session, they were trained and ready to register qualified citizens to vote in upcoming elections, including municipal, county, and school board elections, as well as the much-anticipated November general elections.
The workshop was organized by the Juan Rivera Sr. and Veterans LULAC Council, based in San Benito. The session was held at a member’s property, technically just outside San Benito’s city limits.
Yoali McLane, REO, from the Cameron County Elections Department, led the training.
McLane is passionate about her job. The veteran elections department employee isn’t just collecting a paycheck; she knows her work and understands the importance of not only her duties but also of voting.
“Many people don’t vote because they say things never change and that their vote doesn’t make a difference, but of the 200,038 registered voters in the county, if 10,000 actually vote, that’s a lot and that’s not enough. They say things never change, but maybe things never change because the same people vote. In these smaller local elections, your vote does make a difference,” McLane said, having experienced elections where a few dozen votes have made the difference between a candidate winning and losing.
“The people who are voting are the ones making the decisions for us,” the Brownsville resident added.
But in order for citizens to become engaged and to vote, they must first register to vote. Aside from potential and qualified voters who make the effort to register voluntarily, McLane knows that one of the most effective ways to register people to vote is to train and certify VDRs, who can go out and engage with potential voters.
“You guys are out there in the community. We are a small office in Brownsville. For people who may not know where to register to vote or how to start the registration process, you can start the registration process anywhere,” McLane explained.
McLane added that many people have misconceptions about voter registration, including the belief that voter information is sold to marketing companies and that registrants will be placed on juror rolls, both of which are untrue.
“This information cannot be used for any purpose other than registering you to vote,” she stressed.
Elias Cantu knows a thing or two about activism, organizing, and getting out the vote.
Cantu, the San Benito LULAC chapter’s Public Relations and Outreach Coordinator, has organized for various causes and organizations for decades and understands that change comes by way of the vote, but he also recognizes that the area suffers from a heavy weight of voter apathy.
To combat low voter turnout, Cantu contacted McLane and proposed deputizing interested individuals to register voters.
As Cantu explained, the effort was prompted by LULAC National President Roman Palomares, who challenged LULAC chapters to mobilize the vote.
McLane said that in a national election year, she can train up to 500 VDRs. According to McLane, more than 400 VDRs are currently deputized in Cameron County.
McLane said certification lapses every even-numbered year, at which point trainees must renew their certification. There are no costs for training or for serving as a VDR.
Qualified individuals interested in training as Volunteer Deputy Registrars can contact her at (956) 544-0809. Sessions can be held via Zoom. Laws that determine eligibility to vote also determine the qualifications for potential VDRs.
According to the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)’s official national website, LULAC, founded in 1929, is the oldest and most widely respected Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States of America.
LULAC was founded during a period in our country’s history when Hispanics were denied basic civil and human rights, despite their contributions to American society, according to the national website.
The founders of LULAC created an organization that empowers its members to create and develop opportunities where they are needed most.
