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The GOP-controlled Texas Senate has passed a controversial proposal that would enable the state to overturn election results in Harris County, home to the staunchly Democratic city of Houston. The move has been met with significant criticism, with many people viewing it as an attempt to undermine democracy itself.
The legislation was proposed after a shortage of ballot paper at some voting sites in the county during the 2022 election. If the bill is passed, Republican Governor Greg Abbott would have the power to undo election results by ordering a new election in the county if it runs out of paper at 2% or more of its polling sites for more than an hour.
\u201cWhoa. Texas Republicans just voted give a GOP appointee the power to singe-handedly CANCEL election results in the state\u2019s largest Democratic county. The new rule only applies to Harris County, which is one of the fastest-trending blue counties in the US. https://t.co/IpSpg3Ftjj\u201d— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen) 1683059459
Critics of the bill argue that it would give too much power to the governor, allowing him to overturn election results based on flimsy pretexts. The move has been compared to similar attempts by former President Donald Trump to challenge election results in other states.
The bill's Republican co-author, Mayes Middleton, claims that the shortage of paper "stopped countless people from voting on election day." However, a Houston Chronicle study found that there was "no evidence voters were systematically disenfranchised."
Many have condemned the GOP's actions.
\u201cThese blatant attempts to take over Harris County elections from Austin harm our democracy and undermine the will of the people. And it will make it harder to recruit and retain election workers who make our elections work smoothly.\nhttps://t.co/zBjO22vHIM\u201d— Rodney Ellis (@Rodney Ellis) 1683213103
\u201cTexas bill would allow state to throw out Harris County election results (https://t.co/jBPQw7W4YU)\n\nTCL: Our Democracy is finished if laws like this pass. https://t.co/C5eLgTLcWX\u201d— The Christian Left (@The Christian Left) 1683158436
\u201c#MorningJoe #MSNBC how Texas GOP plans to steal the state forever:\nhttps://t.co/cJpaDybZKE #Texas #Democrats #MAGA #Vote #VoteGOPout IF YOU CAN STILL VOTE\u201d— TasteBudB (@TasteBudB) 1683213625
\u201cIf you thought that it was an overreaction to say that many Republicans no longer support democracy, consider this: The GOP-controlled Texas Senate passed a proposal allowing the state to overturn elections in Harris County, home to Houston.\nhttps://t.co/PnBh8WVxDU @RonDicker\u201d— BriteHeart (@BriteHeart) 1683205822
\u201cThe #txlege is trash!!! These people are not hiding that they are white nationalists!!! You can't win with policies so you want to rig the system!!!\nhttps://t.co/UgBvdsdYVo\u201d— Sam 'Giving You The Real Tea' Young (@Sam 'Giving You The Real Tea' Young) 1683210312
\u201cif you're a national news outlet that hasn't been covering the election-related bills at the texas legislature targeting houston, now would be the time to do so\n\nhttps://t.co/TBoCDS0j5s\u201d— jen rice (@jen rice) 1683037485
\u201cCorrupt disgrace Greg Abbott and MAGA Republicans in Texas have now given their state Secretary of State the power to cancel all elections results in Harris County, the largest Democratic county in Texas and are moving to ban all college campus polling sites.\n\nThis is fascism.\u201d— Ricky Davila (@Ricky Davila) 1683130169
\u201cIf this is enacted, it will be an unprecedented step toward state-sponsored election subversion. We will review carefully to see if and when a legal challenge is appropriate. https://t.co/PTCPFyS0Is\u201d— Marc E. Elias (@Marc E. Elias) 1683062698
Opponents of the bill argue that it is a thinly veiled attempt to suppress votes in Harris County, which is one of the most diverse and populous areas of Texas. In recent years, the county has voted overwhelmingly in favor of Democrats, with over 55 percent of voters choosing Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
Critics of the bill also argue that it disproportionately targets people of color, who are more likely to experience long lines and other barriers to voting. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee described the bill as "about targeting the largest county in the state, which is led by people of color."
Despite widespread criticism, the bill has passed the Texas Senate and will now go to the Republican-controlled Texas House. If it is passed into law, it could set a dangerous precedent for other states, enabling governors to overturn election results based on minor issues or technicalities.