"When the statewide rejection rate of ballots by mail is 12.4%, up from 1% in the 2020 election, there is something seriously wrong with our democracy. Just under 25,000 or one in eight vote by mail ballots were not counted in the primary election. This is the direct result of the anti-voter bill SB1 pushed through the Texas legislature and signed by the Governor. It is appalling that our legislators choose to avoid their responsibility to the voters of Texas by not examining this high Vote By Mail rejection rate in the interim charges.
The new election law caused heart-breaking confusion among voters in the 2022 primary elections. Most notably, the new ID number requirements that needed to be added in Ballot by Mail applications and ballot carrier envelopes complicated voting. These new requirements hit older voters and voters with disabilities particularly hard.
In Harris County, older Black voters were especially impacted by this anti-voter legislation. This law is a throwback to the poll taxes of the Jim Crow era. Texas is one of many states that is going backward in ensuring the right to vote.
The federal Voting Rights Act must be restored to ensure that every voter in Texas— regardless of where they live, what they look like, how old they are, if they have disabilities, or what language they speak— has equal access to the ballot box and is protected from unfair laws and practices that make it harder for people to vote.
The League of Women Voters of Texas and our voting rights partners warned the Texas Legislature that SB1 would have negative consequences for voter access in our state. Because of this new election law, too many voters were silenced during our primary elections. It is critical that the Secretary of State collaborate with counties well before the November General Election to address the obstacles voters faced in the primaries. The League of Women Voters of Texas will continue to support voter education and provide useful information to encourage voters to participate in our elections.
Ensuring a safe and secure election while providing voters with the information they need to participate fully in our democracy should be a priority for the Texas Legislature, the Texas Secretary of State and county election officials. We call upon the Office of the Texas Secretary of State and county election officials to work together to improve democracy for all Texas voters. ”
Grace Chimene, President, League of Women Voters of Texas