News Clips

Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas, said in a statement that in Harris County, “reducing 11 drop off locations to only 1 severely limits voting access and forces people to choose between voting and their health.” The county, which includes Houston, comprises 1,777 square miles. He called Abbott’s order “blatant voter suppression and yet another way the politicians in charge are putting barriers between Texans and the ballot box.” “With last-minute changes and pending litigation, it is increasingly clear that confusion in Texas elections is part of a pattern of voter suppression,” he said.

Nonpartisan Common Cause Texas cites things like polling place closures, voter role purges, ID requirements and antiquated machinery. There's also the more timely topic of vote-by-mail which Texas has yet to significantly expand. "It really doesn’t make any sense during normal times," Gutierrez said. "But, in particular during this pandemic, people should not have to go to a polling site in person.” He and others hope everyone can vote free from confusion, suppression or intimidation this November.

“The big issue we’ve seen is poll workers saying, ‘We don’t want to work this election because the governor isn’t requiring masks at polling locations,’” said Anthony Gutierrez, the executive director of Common Cause Texas, another voting rights group.