Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2021

CONTACT: press@secure-democracy.org

Secure Democracy Warns Texas Republicans Against Criminalizing Voter Assistance, Limiting Voter Options

Eighty-one percent of Texas voters, including 75% of Republicans, believe Texans should have necessary assistance returning their ballot

AUSTIN, Texas— In response to the Texas House Elections Committee public hearing on H.B. 6 held this morning, Secure Democracy issued the following statement:

"Texas voters across the political spectrum are unanimously confident in the state’s election process,” said Sarah Walker, executive director of Secure Democracy. “House Bill 6, which threatens criminal prosecution for Texans who provide necessary assistance to someone casting their ballot, uses drastic measures to fix a system that the vast majority of Texans do not consider broken. Instead of limiting Texans’ freedom to vote — especially voters with disabilities and older voters — lawmakers should focus on increasing election accountability and accessibility for all voters.”

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: 

  • Necessary assistance returning ballots: 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 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 and a national partisanship model found that restricting access to absentee and early voting options could largely disenfranchise Republican voters:

  • 64% of Texas Republicans voted early;

  • 23% of Texas Republicans voted by absentee ballot; 

  • Only 13% of Texas Republicans voted on Election Day;

  • Republicans cast 54% of all early votes in the 2020 general election in Texas;

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

  • Over 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.

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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.