Natalia Contreras

Natalia Contreras

Reporter, Votebeat Texas

Natalia Contreras has covered a range of topics as a community journalist including local government, public safety, immigration, and social issues. Natalia comes to Votebeat from the Austin American-Statesman, where her reporting focused on impacts of government policies on communities of color. Natalia previously reported for the Indianapolis Star, where she helped launch the first Spanish-language newsletter, and at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Natalia was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Only a few problems were reported across the state; millions cast ballots early.

By state law, Election Day totals must be submitted to the state within 24 hours after polls close. Hitting that deadline requires careful but quick work.

A man was jailed after he assaulted a poll worker who asked him to remove a hat showing support for former president Donald Trump.

Governor gave an inflated number of noncitizens removed from the state’s voter rolls, officials acknowledged, confirming findings by news organizations.

A tally touted in an August press release likely lumped in eligible voters who didn’t respond to questions about their citizenship. Some were removed after being mislabeled as noncitizens.

Judge strikes down strict voter assistance rules in Texas’ 2021 rewrite of election laws

The plan calls for the county to identify eligible voters and send them registration forms. GOP officials say it’s an end-run around state law.