Texas Republicans finalize voting bill to preserve election integrity

A draft of the bill was circulated Saturday around the state's House and Senate. The legislature is expected to be sent to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's desk soon.

ADVERTISEMENT
Image
Jarryd Jaeger Vancouver, BC
ADVERTISEMENT

A draft of the bill was circulated Saturday around the state's House and Senate. The legislature is expected to be sent to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's desk soon.

Bill 7 began as two separate bills: one in the House and one in the Senate. While both aimed to deal with election integrity, the methods suggested by each varied. Following weeks of negotiations, the two chambers have compromised.

The bill would curtail the use of drop boxes, would ban drive-thru voting and 24-hour voting, and would require voters to request absentee ballots rather than allowing election officials to send applications to all voters. Early voting hours would also be set from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Allegations of voter fraud spread like wildfire through right-wing circles during the 2020 election when mail-in voting was normalized by the COVID-19 pandemic. Republican leaders have pushed for more stringent voter requirements since.

According to the Texas Tribune, the measures proposed in Texas' Bill 7 include " [making] it a state jail felony for local officials to proactively send mail-in ballot applications to voters who did not request them," prohibiting counties "from using public funds 'to facilitate' the unsolicited distribution of ballot applications by third parties," and requiring voters who request a ballot to "provide their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number." In regards to the last point, "Voters will also be required to include that information on the return envelopes containing their ballots for their votes to be counted."

Bill 7 also expands the rights of "partisan poll-watchers," people who want to observe for themselves what goes on inside polling places. The bill "would entitle them to be 'near enough to see and hear' the election activity," giving them "'free movement' within a polling place, except for being present at a voting station when a voter is filling out a ballot."

Democrats on the committee claimed that they have not been able to view the final draft and do not know what was included in it. Progressives combatting stricter policies allege that such legislation disproportionately impact voters of color.

President Joe Biden called the new Texas voting overhaul finalized by state Republicans an "assault on democracy," arguing that "we should be making it easier, not harder, for every eligible voter to vote."

"It's part of an assault on democracy that we’ve seen far too often this year—and often disproportionately targeting Black and Brown Americans," Biden said via press statement Saturday. "It's wrong and un-American."

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Join and support independent free thinkers!

We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.

Support The Post Millennial

Remind me next month

To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 The Post Millennial, Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information