These days, ensuring “election integrity” is the password for restricting voter access.
So far, 14 states have enacted measures to curtail voter participation during their 2021 legislative sessions.
The majority of states, including Kansas, are Republican-dominated ones acting in response to the 2020 presidential election, in which their preferred candidate did not win.
So no, there was no voter fraud. Just a sore loser who has inordinate sway over Republicans.
IN TEXAS, storm clouds gathered as the legislative session entered the Memorial Day Weekend.
On Saturday afternoon, Republicans announced a “voting rights” bill — singularly crafted with no input by their Democratic colleagues. Anticipating pushback, Senate Republicans then suspended a rule requiring 24 hours between introducing legislation and calling for a vote.
All through the night, Senate Democrats debated the legislation which severely limits advanced voting, bans both drive-through voting and 24-hour voting, increases ID requirements and cuts the hours polls are open.
At 6 a.m. Sunday the vote fell along party lines, 18 Republicans to 13 Democrats.
With only hours left in the 140-day legislative session, it appeared the measure faced the same outcome in the House, where Republicans outnumber Democrats, 83 to 67.
This time, however, Republicans demonstrated no incentive for compromise, and a majority of Democrats walked out, robbing the House of the necessary quorum to hold a vote.
THE EFFORT to make Texas one of the most difficult states in which to cast a ballot is only temporarily derailed, however.
Gov. Greg Abbott has said he will call a special session solely to enact the stricter measures.
In the 2020 election, Texas experienced its highest voter turnout in 30 years. Sixty-six percent of Texans participated, with 57% of 9.7 million voters casting their votes early.
Democrats had hoped the higher turnout would tilt in their favor. It didn’t. Texas stayed as red as ever.
So what’s the beef?
