On Tuesday, May 18th, the Texas House of Representatives approved two bills that would give state authorities the power to override local election administrators, sparking uproar among Democrats and voting rights advocates who claim the bills are an attack on voting rights and local control. If the bills are passed by the state Senate, one of the bills would allow the Texas Secretary of State to take administrative oversight of an election office, investigate voting “irregularities”, and remove county officials from their positions. The other would give the state government control over the county clerk and tax assessor-collector.
The House has amended the second bill to apply only to counties with populations over four million, which, as of now, only includes Harris County. Harris County has a high percentage of ethnic minority residents, with over 20% being Black and 44% Latino. The move by Texas Republicans could have an especially detrimental impact on the county’s voters’ ability to exercise their right to vote.
The push for increased state oversight was triggered by alleged ballot shortages in 2022 in Harris County, which some local Republican officials claimed unfairly targeted their candidates. However, this claim has been debunked, and opponents argue that the move is a blatant attempt at voter suppression.
Democratic officials countered that the bills reflect Republican concerns over the growing diversity of Harris County’s electorate. County attorney Christian Menefee said the attempts by the Republicans were an obvious effort to supplant local control and subvert power. He added that Harris County will file a lawsuit to challenge the new legislation.
As the proposed bills head to the Texas Senate, the outcome remains uncertain. However, the efforts by Texas Republicans have once again highlighted their determination to increase state control over local elections and extend voter suppression laws.
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