Texas Republicans Elections Bill Will Restrict Voting for Residents

This bill put forward by the Republicans would do nothing but restrict voting to some Texas residents. Governor Greg Abbott claims the bill will make it harder to cheat, but easier to vote. It only expands early voting hours for certain counties, overall it is more restrictive than expansionary. Some things the bill would do is, “ban the drive-through voting and 24-hour voting that were used in 2020” and “it would ban morning voting on the last Sunday of early voting, a time some Black churches use for ‘souls to the polls’ voting drives. It would create a new identification requirement for mail-in voters. It would create new requirements for both voters with disabilities and people assisting them. The bill would also introduce a variety of new criminal offenses for elections officials. It would make it easier to get elections overturned. And it would empower partisan poll watchers in a variety of ways” (CNN). This is not an inclusive bill. Texas Republicans are trying to suppress the vote, especially the minority vote. Democratic state leaders did walk out on Sunday night to stop the immediate passage of the vote, but it is not dead yet. It will most likely get put on the agenda at a special legislative session at some point this year.