The Texas Senate passed an election security measure just hours after it was passed by the Texas House. The move means the bill is on its way to Governor Greg Abbott for his signature.
Senate Bill 1 would eliminate 24-hour voting and drive-through voting. Only one county in Texas, Harris County, used 24-hour voting in 2020. Several counties utilized drive-through voting as a way to provide social distancing to help limit the spread of COVID-19. The bill would also give partisan poll-watchers greater access to polling places.
All three measures have been criticized by Texas Democrats, who say they would make it more difficult for some African-American and Hispanic voters to cast their ballots.
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"We think we've made progress, and then all of a sudden there's a new law that moves us back in time, back to where you have intimidation in the polling place because of poll watchers...which started during Reconstruction," said State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. "It creates hardship for people because of the color of their skin and their ethnicity."
Democratic members of the Texas Senate spoke out against the bill before it passed in that chamber on a party-line vote of 18 to 13.
"When government abuses its powers and chips away out our liberty by making it harder for people to vote with a disability or our veterans of overseas, it is we, it is the elected representatives that must stand up against government over-reach at every turn," said State Senator Carol Alvarado, D-Houston. "Voter suppression anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere, and that's why I have opposed this bill."
Republicans in the Texas Senate argued in favor of all three provisions during their debate after the measure was passed out of the House.
"What you're going to find in this bill is extended hours for early voting across the state, more counties included in those that have to have extended hours for early voting," State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Tyler.
Most counties have traditionally operated polls between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. For early voting, SB 1 will specify that early voting can be conducted between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Sen. Hughes also defended the provision allowing partisan poll-watchers greater access to polling places.
"Under current law, the law says the poll watcher can observe any activity other than the voter casting his or her ballot. The law says they can be 'conveniently close'. That may be somewhat subjective," said Sen. Hughes. "The language in SB 1 says they can be close enough to see and hear the observed activity. It's the activity of the election workers."
Hughes said the bill will not allow poll watchers to be in the ballot box with a voter or interfere with them casting their ballot.
State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, was skeptical of those claims.
"How can this bill make it easier to vote when it limits early voting hours, prohibits drive-through voting and discourages persons from assisting voters with disabilities?" she asked on the Senate floor.
Now that the bill has received final approval from both the House and the Senate, all it needs is Governor Greg Abbott's signature to become law. He has promoted the bill and made it the centerpiece of two legislative special sessions this summer. Democrats had walked out of Austin and spent several weeks in Washington, D.C. to block the bill from coming up for a vote, but enough of them returned to Austin during the month of August for the Texas House to resume work.
"Senate Bill 1 will solidify trust and confidence in the outcome of our elections by making it easier to vote and harder to cheat," said Texas Governor Greg Abbott. "I look forward to signing Senate Bill 1 into law, ensuring election integrity in Texas."
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