News · Press Release

DCCC, DSCC and Texas Democratic Party Challenge Unlawful Effort to Suppress Votes By Ending Straight-Ticket Voting

Following Voting Rights Victory in Texas, Democrats Launch New Challenge to Law That Would Eliminate Straight-Ticket Voting & Suppress Minority Votes

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Texas Democratic Party announced a new lawsuit to prevent the Texas Secretary of State from implementing a law that would eliminate straight-ticket voting. For more than a century, this practice has been a crucial benefit to Texas voters, who regularly face long lines to vote and whose ballots are among the longest in the country. In the 2018 election, two thirds of voters — more than 5.6 million Texans — used the practice, and as a result were able to cast a vote in every down-ballot race.

Facing the prospect of historic turnout in 2020 and following long lines at voting locations sites lasted long after the polls closed, Texas Republicans have passed a law that, if implemented, threatens to drive up already-high wait times at polling places, disproportionately impacting African American and Hispanic voters who are not only more likely to use straight-ticket voting, but already face higher wait times and greater obstacles to voting — further suppressing minority votes and violating both the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act. After leading a successful push to protect voting rights in Texas, Democrats are filing suit today to prevent this law from going into effect.

“Republicans see the same thing that we do – their agenda is toxic and they are in trouble in Texas. In response, they are doing what they do best and that means doing everything they can to make voting more difficult for the people fleeing their party in droves,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Cheri Bustos said. “Texas is the center of our battlefield and we will not stop taking on the obstacles Republicans put in place to shrink the electorate as they attempt to cling to power.”

“This law is nothing more than a bad-faith partisan effort to undermine the integrity of our elections, and if it is allowed to go into effect it will drive up wait times on Election Day and create yet another needless obstacle to voting,” said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “The DSCC stands with Texans in opposing this harmful law, and we will work to prevent Republicans from creating yet another arbitrary barrier to participating in our elections.”

“The end of straight-ticket voting was yet another Republican attempt to suppress the vote, alter the electorate, and take away power from the rising Texas majority,” said Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa. “In minority-majority districts, lines to vote have already proven to be hours long. Ending straight-ticket voting has only made those lines longer and hurt candidates up and down the ballot. We thank our partners at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for bringing such an important issue to light. Every Texas voter deserves to be able to vote without experiencing the crush of long lines.”

Read this complaint here.

The DCCC, DSCC and state and national Democratic organizations have brought lawsuits in states across the country to protect and expand the franchise and restore the integrity of our elections. Democrats have successfully challenged voting rights and ballot order statues in states including ArizonaFloridaSouth Carolina, and Texas and remain committed to challenging unfair laws that make it harder for millions of Americans to participate in our democracy.





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