Governor Greg Abbott Calls Unprecedented Second Special Session in Three Months to Restrict The Right to Vote

Moments ago, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced he is calling the second special session since June of the Texas state legislature, set to begin Saturday, August 7. The attempt to pass anti-voter bills in multiple legislative sessions is rare. Only one other special session has been called in the last five years and just five special sessions have been called in the last ten years.

Governor Abbot’s decision to call a second special session in two months is an extreme, partisan power grab at a time when he should be squarely focused on Texas’ multiple crises.

The Governor has explicitly said the purpose of his special sessions is to pass anti-voter legislation. In an interview on July 12, he stated “I will continue to call special session, after special session, after special session every single month until we address and vote on these bills.”

Statement of Common Cause Texas Associate Director Stephanie Gómez

While a deadly pandemic and an energy crisis threaten our way of life in Texas, Governor Abbott remains focused on stripping away the rights of thousands of Texans.

Texas is already the most difficult place to vote in the entire country, but the Governor and partisan legislators want to make it even harder for us to cast a ballot and have our vote be counted.

The decision to call a second special session is nothing more than a partisan power grab to distract us from the real challenges our communities face, like tacking action to slow the spread of the Delta variant and address our failing energy grid.

The Governor and partisan legislators waging war on our right to vote failed to pass anti-democratic legislation in the regular session and the last special session. Texans are ready to make sure they fail again.

In Texas, we cherish our freedom to vote and have a voice in our government. We believe there is nothing more sacred than our constitutionally protected right to have a say on the issues that impact our everyday lives. Common Cause Texas will continue to fight day and night for our voting rights no matter how many special sessions the Governor calls.