Texas Republicans pass voting bills targeting large Democratic county

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Washington Post

The new law would single out Houston, with its sizable Black population, for a different election process

By Patrick Marley
May 28, 2023 at 8:55 p.m. EDT



A voting bill targeting Harris County, drafted by Republican state Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R), right, passed the Texas legislature on Sunday. (Jay Janner/AP)

Texas Republicans wound down their regular legislative session Sunday by changing election policies for a single populous Democratic stronghold but not other parts of the state.

The measure gives the secretary of state under certain conditions the power to run elections in Harris County, home to Houston and 4.8 million residents. It follows a bill approved days earlier that shifts the oversight of elections from its appointed elections administrator to the county clerk and county assessor.

Harris County officials at a news conference last week said they would bring a lawsuit challenging the measures as soon as Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signs them into law.

“These bills are not about election reform,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county’s chief executive. “They’re not about improving voters’ experience. They are entirely about suppressing voters’ voices. The reasoning behind these bills is nothing but a cynical charade.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/28/texas-republicans-pass-voting-bills-targeting-large-democratic-county/

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Sen. Paul Bettencourt

[Chi67]

1. Wow!

It is way past time for the fed to get involved here. This can't be constitutional.

[bsiebs]

3. Roberts court says that all is fine... no racism here...

I really doubt the current makeup of this SC will ever see any reason to reverse that decision (Shelby County v. Holder) and give power back to the Voting Rights Act......

[Initech]

2. God forbid anyone have an independent thought not manufactured by Rupert Murdoch.

Fuck Greg Abbott and the GOP. If there is a hell, it waits for them.

[roamer65]

4. This really should make us all question the validity of Texas's 40 EVs.

I don’t see a free and fair election in TX with this kinda shit.

[Initech]

6. No, Fox News has a stranglehold on that state.

Time to loosen their grip!

[roamer65]

9. We can hope, can't we?

🤞🤞🤞🤞

[Lonestarblue]

14. Actually, the elections have been fair in that anyone who wants to vote can.

Texas has a decent early-voting window allowing people to vote at any voting location in the county, and voting locations are set up in several convenient places like community centers and libraries. But the laws passed after the 2020 election have started limiting how fair requirements are for voters depending on whether you’re in a mostly white district, a rural district, or a large urban area.

Over the past several years (even before 2020) Texas closed over 700 precincts in minority areas, where population was growing, while keeping most precincts in Republican districts open. They just closed a bunch more in Hispanic areas this year. This was not a huge problem until now because voters could vote at any location in the country. But now, those who wait until election day to vote must vote in their precinct, which guarantees long lines in minority districts and a disincentive to wait for hours to vote, especially since few people are given time off work to vote.

The new laws targeting Houston are nothing less than a total power grab giving Republicans control over Democratic voters and setting up fake claims of fraud so they can throw away votes. I hope a lawsuit results, but our current kangaroo Supreme Court would probably uphold the law because they see to support voting rights only for white male property owners as when the country was founded.

[roamer65]

17. I saw Harris County is suing.

[apnu]

25. But of course, the Republicans all project

What evils they do, they project on us. So whatever they accuse anyone of doing, they are doing exactly that.

[Comfortably_Numb]

5. Paul Bettencourt is a mangy, worthless, disgusting fucking right wing hack. I don't know about his

magat bonafides but he’s a power hungry fuckmunch who used to be Harris county TDC assessor collector. Went down the ultra fascist right wing rabbit hole. Hate him, like I hate hominy, and goddamn I hate me some hominy.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. Harris County to sue over GOP-backed bills targeting local elections

Link to tweet

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/harris-county-gop-election-legislation-lawsuit-18117121.php?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=twitter.com

Harris County will file a lawsuit challenging two Republican-backed election bills headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, County Attorney Christian Menefee announced last week.

At issue are two measures that apply only to Harris County, including one that abolishes the elections administrators office.

Menefee said the lawsuit would be filed after the bills are signed into law by the governor.

"The Texas Constitution is clear: The Legislature can't pass laws that target one specific city or one specific county," Menefee said. "And that constitutional ban makes a whole lot of sense. We don't want our lawmakers going to Austin, taking their personal vendettas with them and passing laws that target local governments instead of doing what's in the best interest of Texans."

[roamer65]

8. I would hope they win.

[PortTack]

11. As they should! Yes, roberts has looked the other way on voting rights, but this is as much

Discrimination as it about voting!

[dalton99a]

16. +1

[AZ8theist]

10. Scum bag looks like he likes placing his hands on women.

[SunSeeker]

12. The GOP will work on a Sunday of a Memorial Day weekend to disenfranchise black people.

If only they worked so hard on making the lives of their constituents better.

[roamer65]

18. +1000

[ashredux]

13. This is a Raw, authoritarian, power-play. The Texas boys aren't even pretending now.

We don’t like the way you vote down there in old Harris County, so we’re just gonna come in and take control of it from you. You all just sit down and get out of our way. That’s how it’s done.

[lees1975]

15. The legal issue in this bill will be difficult for even a conservative court to overlook without

making themselves look political. If the bill applied to the whole state, it might succeed. But singling out its largest county isn't going to fly. My guess is that it won't even get through a lower court.

And what these bird brains don't realize is that it just motivates more people to turn out and vote. It also signals that Texas Republicans are getting worried about their diminishing support.

[SouthernDem4ever]

19. These people have no shame

They don't even care that it looks completely anti-democratic. They are pigs that don't even put on lipstick anymore.

[bonniebgood]

20. The Year 5/31/1921 The Tulsa Race Massacre and Many Others. For Those

who say things have changed, IMHO the only things have changed is the WAY they do it. The Terrorist don't burn down the towns
anymore, They burn down wealth and equality by changing the LAWS. The Roberts Court should be inundated with these links.

https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/rosewood-massacre/
Floridas History for Today.

There is no shame in something you meant to do and plan with purpose.

[markodochartaigh]

22. "... who say things have changed..."

I agree, the people who say that things have changed are people who have been privileged enough not to see the truth. Whether it was Native American genocide, slavery, labor struggles, etc. authoritarian power works by cutting off a group and attacking that group. Many in society who aren't affected support the attack, but many more simply ignore the attack as long as "the quiet part isn't said out loud."

[ificandream]

24. Exactly. It's frightening how they've been successful with their "infrastructure" changes ...

No ethical judge should let this stuff stand. But then we know where we are on that score.

[LudwigPastorius]

21. Look at that fat, greasy bastard.

Anyone who thinks that the Paxton impeachment is a sign of hope that Texas Republicans have some redeemable qualities is dead wrong.

[LiberalLovinLug]

23. This shot reeks of 'mansplaining'