US: Texas governor signs controversial voting restrictions bill into law

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law on Tuesday voting restrictions Democrats and critics say are thinly-disguised efforts to suppress minority voter turnout.

The massive election overhaul further tightens already restrictive voting laws in the state and is part of a wider effort among Republican-held states to enact new restrictions in the wake of former President Donald Trump's 2020 defeat. The election saw unprecedented turnout as Trump lost to President Joe Biden by 7 million votes.

Trump claims he lost the election due to widespread fraud, though neither he nor any of his political allies have been able to come up with evidence to back the allegation. Trump's Justice Department flat-out rejected the suggestion during his final days in office.

Texas Democrats had sought to prevent the bill from reaching Abbott’s desk by leaving the state for a month and a half, but enough returned in mid-August for the state legislature to continue working on the bill before eventually passing it and sending it to Abbott's desk.

Among its provisions, the law outlaws 24-hour voting places and drive-thru voting, imposes new restrictions on mail-in voting and grants new powers to partisan poll watchers.

The governor attempted to frame the new measures as an attempt to secure the state's elections system.

"One thing that all Texans can agree is that we must have trust and confidence in our elections," Abbott said before signing the bill. "The bill that I'm about to sign helps to achieve that goal. One thing that it does is, it ensures that every eligible voter will have the opportunity to vote."

Critics, however, are unswayed and launched legal challenges even prior to Abbott adding his signature.

Rights groups led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit on Sept. 3 against what they called the "anti-voter" effort, which they said violates the Voting Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the US Constitution.

“Voters with disabilities and voters with limited English proficiency have the same right to vote as anyone else,” said Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas.

“SB 1 cruelly targets these voters and anyone who might assist them with increased burdens and unnecessary criminal penalties. These provisions are unlawful and part of a long history of Texas implementing discriminatory anti-voter measures. The legislation should be struck down," he added, referring to the law by its formal name, Senate Bill 1.