Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2021

CONTACT: press@secure-democracy.org

Secure Democracy Urges Lawmakers to Adopt Common Sense Election Reforms in Special Session through Inclusive, Transparent Process

Calls On Governor to Sign H.B. 1382, Establish Ballot Tracking

Austin, Texas— The Texas House failed to approve elections omnibus bill Senate Bill 7 on Sunday evening, on the heels of a dead-of-night debate and early morning vote by the Texas Senate. The final version of S.B. 7 would have restricted voting access for millions of Texans, and included measures that would allow increased partisan influence in polling places, limit access to early voting and vote by mail, and threaten elections administrators with severe criminal penalties.

Further discussion on election reform will move to a special session called by Governor Greg Abbott.

“A special session on election reform is an opportunity for Texas lawmakers to work together to strengthen every Texan’s freedom to vote, especially older voters, veteran and military voters, and voters with disabilities,” said Sarah Walker, executive director of Secure Democracy. “Secure Democracy urges lawmakers to ensure that any future elections bills include measures that improve accountability without needlessly restricting voter access. We will continue to work in good faith with lawmakers from both parties in the House and Senate to propose common-sense measures that improve election integrity in the state. All Texans will benefit from a more transparent and inclusive legislative process.”

As the regular session draws to a close, Secure Democracy also calls on Governor Greg Abbott to sign House Bill 1382 into law.

“We thank Rep. John Bucy and Sen. Bryan Hughes for leading the charge on H.B. 1382,” added Walker. “Thanks to their work, Texas has the opportunity to join the ranks of 45 other states that provide a statewide system to allow voters to track their mail ballots. We urge Governor Abbott to sign this legislation and grant every Texas voter the confidence that their ballot has been received and counted.”

A Secure Democracy statewide poll of Texas voters found that 83% of all Texas voters - including 75% of Republican voters - support using an electronic ballot tracking system for mail-in ballots, as outlined in H.B. 1382. Both the Texas House Elections Committee and Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously supported HB 1382, and the bill received near unanimous support in both chambers.

Secure Democracy also urges lawmakers to include the following positive reforms in any special session election legislation:

  • Ballot cure. Ballot cure is a process that exists in many other conservative states, including Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky and would notify voters about an honest, correctable issue with their mail ballot prior to rejecting them.

  • Paper trail. Many of Texas’ electronic voting machines do not provide a paper record of votes cast, which would allow election officials to verify the results of the election and assure voters of the integrity of the system. Recent statewide polling of likely voters found that 88% of Texas voters, including 89% of Republican voters, support requiring electronic voting machines to provide an auditable paper trail.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

A Secure Democracy statewide poll of Texas voters, conducted by leading Republican pollster Chris Perkins of Ragnar Research Partners, found widespread support for voter access and opposition to the threat of criminal penalties that minimize voter assistance:

  • Providing necessary assistance to return a ballot: 81% of all voters support; 75% of Republican voters support

  • Threatening felony prosecution for an accidental vote: 61% of all voters oppose, 51% of Republican voters oppose

  • Threatening felony prosecution for providing assistance: 62% of voters said no to felony charge; 73% said no to a felony charge for assisting more than three voters

The poll also found strong bipartisan support for policies and legislation that increase accessibility and accountability within the Texas election system:

  • Extending early voting by one week: 73% of all voters support; 58% of Republican voters support

  • Increasing number of polling locations: 84% of all voters support; 80% of Republican voters support

  • Using an electronic ballot tracking system for mail-in ballots: 83% of all voters support; 75% of Republican voters support

  • Conducting regular voter roll audits: 91% of all voters support; 94% of Republican voters support

  • Investigating before canceling voter registration: 84% of all voters support; 86% of Republican voters support

A Secure Democracy analysis of Texas Secretary of State data from the 2020 general election found that restricting access to absentee and early voting options could largely disenfranchise Republican voters:

  • Fewer than 1 in 5 Texas Republicans voted on Election Day. Instead, 64% of Texas Republicans voted early and 23% of Texas Republicans voted by mail;

  • Republicans cast 54% of all early votes in the 2020 general election in Texas; Republicans cast half (50%) of all mail votes in the 2020 general election in Texas;

  • More than 4 million voters aged 55 or older voted early or by mail in Texas, as opposed to 426,000 voters casting their ballot on Election Day. Among all Republican voters aged 55 or older in Texas, 91% voted early or by mail in 2020. Among rural older adults in Texas, 67% voted early or by mail in 2020;

  • More than 6 in 10 (62%) of Republican active duty military or veteran voters in Texas voted early, nearly 3 in 10 (29%) of Republican active duty military or veteran voters in Texas voted absentee; and fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) of Republican active duty military or veteran voters in Texas voted on Election Day; and

  • 69% of Republican donors cast early votes and 25% voted by mail statewide.

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About Secure Democracy

Secure Democracy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to improve election integrity across the United States. We educate policymakers and the public about what it takes to safeguard our voting systems. We collaborate with state leaders, election administrators, election integrity experts, and allies to ensure that all eligible citizens have the freedom to vote how they choose.