Texas Man Who Waited 6 Hours To Vote, Charged For Illegal Voting

In March 2020, Houston resident, Hervis Rogers, became the face of the cities election day news coverage for waiting six hours to vote in the Democratic 2020 Presidential Primary. News camera's where rolling when he left an Texas Southern University polling station at 1:30am after finally getting the opportunity to vote. Rogers was one of thousands of Harris County voters who stood in line for hours to cast their ballot on Super Tuesday. The man was in line so long that he had to go to his second job when he left the polling station. Unfortunately, after all of that trouble he has learned his vote was not only invalid but illegal.

NBC News, the 62-year Texas man is after being arrested Wednesday, July 7 and charged with two counts of illegal voting. Turns out he was on parole for a burglary conviction in the 90's and didn't know his voting rights were not restored yet. Rogers is a couple of months away from ending his decades long-parole and now he may be heading back to prison over an innocent mistake. The second-degree felony for illegal voting carries a possible 20 year prison sentence. Even worse, Republican Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, is prosecuting the case and alleges Mr. Rogers may have illegally voted in the 2018 midterm election as well.

The fact is, widespread voter fraud across the country doesn't exist. The proof is in the research conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice. The latest study by the nonpartisan law and policy institute revealed voter fraud is "very rare, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent, and many instances of alleged fraud are, in fact, mistakes by voters or administrators."

Voting advocates like Democratic state Rep. John Bucy III, say “We’ve got to really keep pushing back on these bills because a lot of what they’re trying to do could criminalize mistakes.” Speaking of which, the states GOP lawmakers are working to revive failed voting restriction bills now at the state Capitol.