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Myth vs. Fact: Misinformation on Texas’ Voting Laws
Despite the misinformation from Democrats, the truth is that Texas is taking action to make it easy to vote but hard to cheat so that all Texans can have confidence in their elections.
MYTH: Texas’ election safeguards restrict voting access.
FACT: Texas’ legislation creates a more secure and more uniform voting process that Texans’ can have confidence in, while maintaining access for all voters.
- SB 7 and HB 6 will help apply election code more evenly, uniformly, and consistently across the state so Texas voters can have confidence in their system.
- Texas’ legislation will ensure election officials are carrying out their duty to administer free and fair elections and count every legal vote in the state.
- Election safeguards like voter ID enjoy widespread support in Texas, with an overwhelming 81% of Texans supporting voter ID requirements according to a 2019 poll.
MYTH: Texas is trying to suppress the vote by limiting mail-in and early voting.
FACT: Texas has more early voting than many blue states across the country, providing plenty of access to voters.
- Texas will protect vote-my-mail ballots from fraud by adding a voter identification measure that would make mail-in voting consistent with in-person voting standards (HB 2478).
- Texas provides two weeks of in-person early voting for primary elections, special elections, and general elections.
- Many blue states, like New York and New Jersey which each have 9 early voting days, have far fewer days of early voting.
- SB7 actually creates an online tool so these voters can track both their application to vote by mail and then their ballot, offering a simple and efficient process for voters.
- Texas will provide early voting access between 6am and 9pm, ensuring voters have plenty of time to cast their vote and setting reliable hours that will benefit election administration.
- Texas’ legislation sets longer early voting hours than codified in states like Maryland and New Mexico.
MYTH: Poll watchers will intimidate voters and election officials.
FACT: Poll watchers simply observe to protect our elections. They cannot even talk to voters.
- Texas law is clear that poll watchers are to observe, not talk to voters and only talk to the clerk or judge if there is a concern.
- HB 6 promotes transparency in our elections and strengthens the rights of poll watchers to observe the process, while not interfering with voters in any way.
- There are verified cases of poll watchers being illegally removed or obstructed from observing the process during the 2020 election.
- All sides can agree that transparency is necessary to have trust that our elections are free and fair. Poll watchers play an important role in instilling confidence in the electoral process.
MYTH: The Texas election laws will punish election clerks and judges with fines and arrest for any mistakes made during the voting process.
FACT: The legislation targets those who intentionally commit or seek to commit fraud.
- Texas’ legislation includes important oversight to ensure elections are administered properly and the law is enforced, something everyone can support.
- Those who intentionally commit or seek to commit fraud will be held accountable but an honest mistake is not going to land a clerk in jail or give them a hefty fine.
MYTH: Texas’ legislation will make it harder for disabled voters to vote
FACT: Texas’ legislation protects disabled voters and will ensure they continue to have easy voting access
- Despite the rhetoric around SB7, the so-called “restrictions” in the bill actually just require disabled voters to sign a statement that they are disabled or give the reason they would like a mail-in ballot. This is an easy process that will maintain ballot access for disabled Texans.
- Additionally, HB 6 protects voters needing assistance from undue influence or intimidation by increasing disclosure requirements for individuals who assist the voter.
MYTH: The Texas election laws are restricting voters’ rights by repealing drive thru and outdoor voting.
FACT: These voting procedures never existed prior to 2020 and were used temporarily in response to COVID-19.
- These measures were implemented temporarily and not done across the state.
- Now with more knowledge about COVID and Texas opening up vaccination to every adult, voters can be confident in their ability to vote in person, the most secure way to cast a ballot.