Speaking on Sunday in Selma, Alabama, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland decried efforts by states to implement voter ID requirements as “discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary.”
Garland <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-deliver-remarks-bloody-sunday-tabernacle-baptist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke</a> at an event at the Tabernacle Baptist Church to commemorate the 59th anniversary of Selma police officers attacking demonstrators in the civil rights movement.
“There are many things that are open to debate in America,” Garland declared. “One thing that must not be open for debate is the right of all eligible citizens to vote and to have their vote counted.”
Garland did not define what he meant by “eligible.”
After citing the history of black people being denied voting rights, he claimed, “Court decisions in recent years have drastically weakened the protections of the Voting Rights Act that marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge bled for 59 years ago. And since those decisions, there has been a dramatic increase in legislative measures that make it harder for millions of eligible voters to vote and to elect the representatives of their choice.”
“The right to vote is still under attack,” he declared. “And that is why the Justice Department is fighting back. That is why, one of the first things I did as Attorney General was to double the number of lawyers in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division.”
“That is why we are challenging efforts by states and jurisdictions to implement discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary restrictions on access to the ballot, including those related to mail-in voting, the use of drop boxes, and voter ID requirements,” he stated.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Biden AG Merrick Garland, speaking at an Alabama church, says election integrity efforts — such as voter ID requirements and restrictions on ballot &quot;drop boxes&quot; — are &quot;discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/UExpO3nGbD">pic.twitter.com/UExpO3nGbD</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1764388336846639210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Thirty-six state laws request or require voters to show some form of identification at the polls,” the National Conference of State Legislatures <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notes</a>. “Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., do not require any documentation to vote at the polls.”
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“Voters across all demographics support voter ID laws in virtually every poll by almost 80%. This typically includes more than 60% of Democrats,” the Heritage Foundation <a href="https://www.heritage.org/election-integrity/commentary/voter-id-laws-are-popular-good-reasons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">points out</a>, adding, “64% of black voters, 77% of Hispanics, and 76% of low-income voters support voter ID laws, according to a poll conducted by the <a href="https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/media-center/news/2023/2023-01-06/memo-on-voters-and-elections-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-external="yes">Honest Elections Project</a>.”

Vice President Harris Commemorates 59th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday

AG Garland Calls Voter ID Laws ‘Unnecessary’

Elections

Mail-In Voting

Merrick Garland

Politics

Voter ID

Voting

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina</a> Supreme Court made several key election decisions on Friday, ruling to reinstate a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/voter-id" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voter ID</a> law and keep the Republican-led redistricting maps in place. 
The rulings were made possible after the court was swung in November from 4-3 Democrat-controlled to 5-2 Republican. The voter ID law, enacted in 2018, had previously been thrown out over claims it unfairly targeted minorities.
“The people of North Carolina overwhelmingly support voter identification and other efforts to promote greater integrity and confidence in our elections. Subjective tests and judicial sleight of hand have systematically thwarted the will of the people and the intent of the legislature,” <a href="https://appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=1&amp;pdf=42280" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> the court&#8217;s Republican majority on the voter ID case. 
“But no court exists for the vindication of political interests, and judges exceed constitutional boundaries when they act as a super-legislature,” the decision continued. “Plaintiffs here have failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that S.B. 824 was enacted with discriminatory intent or that the law actually produces a meaningful disparate impact along racial lines.”
The decision on the redistricting maps said that the state’s constitution did not stipulate whether the state legislature could or could not make partisan maps. 
“Our constitution expressly assigns the redistricting authority to the General Assembly subject to explicit limitations in the text. Those limitations do not address partisan gerrymandering,” the Republicans wrote. 
The redistricting decision could give Republicans an edge in the 2024 congressional elections in the Tar Heel State as the Republican supermajority can now draw the maps for the state. 
Both decisions were widely praised by Republicans and decried by Democrats who have long opposed voter ID measures. 
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&#8220;The decisions handed down today by the NC Supreme Court have ensured that our constitution and the will of the people of North Carolina are honored. Nearly five years after the voters of this state overwhelmingly voted in favor of photo ID at the polls, it has finally become the law of the land. We will fulfill our constitutional duty to redraw state house, senate, and congressional maps,” North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore said. 
Democrat State Attorney General Josh Stein called the redistricting decision a “blow to democracy.”
“Our constitution is supposed to be a check on the power of the legislature. But these Republican justices have surrendered that role, taking power away from the people and giving it to an out-of-control gerrymandered Republican supermajority in the legislature,” he said. 
Another election-related ruling by the court ensured that felons have to complete their probation and parole in order to regain their voting rights, reversing a trial court decision.

‘Fair Maps’ Rally Held As Supreme Court Hears Gerrymandering Case

Purple State Supreme Court Makes Major Ruling On Election Integrity Law, Reversing Previous Decision

North Carolina

Georgia&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/brian-kemp-blasts-stacey-abrams-after-she-loses-court-battle-against-georgia-voter-integrity-laws" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 voter ID law</a> was supposed to usher in a new era of &#8220;Jim Crow 2.0,&#8221; according to Democrats. President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/water-and-jim-crow-debunking-the-most-egregious-georgia-voting-law-falsehoods" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it would make that previous era of American history look like &#8220;Jim Eagle.&#8221;
Democrats at large, including current Peach Tree State gubernatorial candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stacey-abrams-claims-that-increased-voting-turnout-has-nothing-to-do-with-voter-suppression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stacey Abrams</a>, warned that millions of minorities would be disenfranchised.
Except the opposite has happened.
Since early voting began on October 17, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/25/georgia-early-vote-election-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than one million people have voted</a> via early voting and absentee ballots. That has smashed previous records. When asked about that fact, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre offered up a cacophony of excuses.
&#8220;As you know, I have to be careful. I cannot get into politics from here,&#8221; Jean-Pierre said, despite the fact she seems to slam &#8220;MAGA Republicans&#8221; in midterms and &#8220;election deniers&#8221; every other day.
She claimed that Republicans have been promoting anti-voting laws around the country despite not providing any examples.
<div class="segment style-scope ytd-transcript-segment-renderer" role="button" aria-label="53 minutes, 18 seconds DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN ON ITS OWN. THEY CAN BE HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. BUT I BELIEVE IT THERE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO REALLY DIG IN TO THE POLITICS OF THIS. ">
&#8220;The president has been very clear that based on the &#8216;Big Lie&#8217; there have been a host of anti-voter policies forced on states that challenge America&#8217;s fundamental right to vote, the access to voting,&#8221; she claimed. &#8220;So this is against our most basic values, including respect for the law and the constitution.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds briefing" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lM1NxjGAQp0?start=3119&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The &#8220;Big Lie&#8221; of course refers to former President Donald J. Trump&#8217;s belief that there was election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. According to KJP, implying that American elections aren&#8217;t secure is tantamount to being a traitor.
Of course, as documented, KJP herself is an &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-threat-to-democracy-bidens-new-election-denying-press-secretary-meets-the-lefts-definition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">election denier</a>.&#8221; Nevertheless, she persisted — as the Beltway loves to say.
&#8220;Speaking generally of course, but more broadly, high turnout and voter suppression can take place at the same time,&#8221; she added. &#8220;One doesn&#8217;t have to happen on its own. They can be happening at the same time, but I will leave it there without being able to really dig into the politics of this.&#8221;
Common sense would dictate that if voter suppression was occurring anywhere in Georgia, then a record amount of minorities would be reporting that they have been barred from voting.
Quite the opposite, the share of black voters in Georgia has actually increased from 2020, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/10/25/democrats-black-voter-turnout-00063254">according</a> to Politico.
&#8220;At this point in 2020, Black voters made up 33 percent of the share of the electorate, and in 2022, they’re up to 35 percent,&#8221; the outlet reported.
Yet Democrats can&#8217;t admit that a Republican voting law actually helped increase democratic participation, so instead, they bloviate and makeup nonsense.
The party&#8217;s entire midterm plan is to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-midterm-plan-deny-reality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny reality</a>.
Up is down, right is wrong. Men are women. Abortion is healthcare. Biden is competent. Record voting turnout is voter suppression.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
</div>

Karine Jean-Pierre

Democrats: Georgia’s Record Voter Turnout Is Actually Voter Suppression

Democrats: Georgia's Record Voter Turnout Is Actually Suppression

Brian Kemp

Georgia

Joe Biden

Stacey Abrams

Daily Wire commentator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/matt-walsh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Walsh</a> blasted <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/pennsylvania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pennsylvania</a> Lt. Governor and Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman for arguing that racial minorities are less capable of getting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/voter-id" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voter ID</a>.
In a resurfaced clip from December 2021, the candidate remarked that Pennsylvania lawmakers were attempting to pass a constitutional amendment requiring voter ID for “every time you vote” — a policy that he implied was discriminatory because people “who typically are on the poorer side and are people of color” are less likely “to have their ID at any one given time.”
Walsh remarked that Fetterman’s remarks are worse than the “bigotry of low expectations” because they reflect “just no expectations whatsoever.”
“If you&#8217;re an adult in modern society, you must have some kind of photo ID because you can&#8217;t do anything without it,” Walsh noted. “You can’t rent an apartment. You certainly can’t buy a house. You can’t get a credit card — you can’t do anything. … I&#8217;m not sure I&#8217;ve met an adult who doesn&#8217;t have a photo ID. I would like to meet an adult like that just so I can talk to them. I have so many questions.”
Leftists have balked at Republican officials’ attempts to strengthen election security requirements over the past year. After Georgia passed legislation that requires citizens to include a driver’s license number when voting by mail, several companies <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mlb-moves-all-star-game-to-colorado-which-has-voter-id-laws-significantly-less-diverse-than-georgia">sanctioned</a> the state, while President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/01/11/remarks-by-president-biden-on-protecting-the-right-to-vote/">argued</a> that lawmakers were “putting up obstacles” because “to them, too many people voting in a democracy is a problem.”
In response to Fetterman’s comments, Walsh added that “acting as though it is some great burden to go get a photo ID even though one is required for everything else” is one of the most “ridiculous strawmen” pushed by leftists.
“They can require you to go and inject something into your body and take a card and carry that around with you,” Walsh observed. “But going to get a photo ID is a burden that is too cumbersome for people to carry.”
In response to leftists making the argument that black people in particular cannot obtain photo ID, Walsh remarked that it is “hard to think of something more degrading, insulting, and paternalistic than that.”
Fetterman, who served as the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, before starting his tenure in Harrisburg, provoked controversy in 2013 after responding to what he believed was gunfire by pulling a firearm on an African American and detaining him until police arrived — an incident that has generated <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/fettermans-gun-incident-rattles-black-democrats-pa-senate-race-rcna25649">unease</a> among black Democratic voters.
The candidate, who often appears in public clad in a hoodie and basketball shorts, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-for-decriminalizing-across-the-board-john-fetterman-has-repeatedly-nodded-to-woke-drug-policy">nodded</a> to drug decriminalization and publicly <a href="https://twitter.com/johnfetterman/status/1290280291458674689">supported</a> Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who is currently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-and-republicans-join-forces-to-investigate-philadelphias-woke-district-attorney">under investigation</a> from Republican and Democratic members of the Pennsylvania House for allegedly neglecting to enforce the city’s laws.
Fetterman is campaigning against Republican rival Dr. Mehmet Oz in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate contests. He currently leads Oz by 48.4% to 43.5%, according to a <a href="https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TRF-PA-General-0820-Poll-Report.pdf">survey</a> conducted by the Trafalgar Group.
However, Fetterman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hell-be-fine-pa-democratic-senate-nominee-cleared-by-doctor-to-campaign-after-suffering-a-stroke-days-before-primary">suffered a stroke</a> days ahead of the primary elections and has made few public appearances in recent months. Because he has slurred, repeated himself, and lost his train of thought in the handful of general election events he has attended, much of his campaign has centered upon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pennsylvanias-senate-campaign-degrades-to-a-meme-war">online trolling</a> of Dr. Oz over his links to New Jersey and ownership of multiple properties.

Collage Maker-30-Aug-2022-05.18-PM

‘Letting His Racist Flag Fly’: Matt Walsh Reacts To John Fetterman Saying Black People Are Less Likely To Have ID

Matt Walsh Blasts John Fetterman For Racist Opposition To Voter ID

2022 Election

2022 Midterms

Matt Walsh

Pennsylvania

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina</a> Supreme Court ruled Friday that a constitutional amendment implementing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/voter-id" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voter ID</a> requirements may be invalid because the legislature that passed it was racially gerrymandered.
In a 4-3 party line <a href="https://appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=1&amp;pdf=41699">ruling</a>, the state Supreme Court found that a 2018 amendment to the state constitution may be invalid because the majorities in the state legislature came from districts that had been unconstitutionally racially gerrymandered. The ruling did not outright overturn the amendment, which was ratified by voters in the same year, but remanded the case back to a lower court for further study.
&#8220;In the final week of the final regular legislative session preceding the 2018 general election, a General Assembly that was composed of a substantial number of legislators elected from districts that the United States Supreme Court had conclusively determined to have resulted from unconstitutional racial gerrymandering enacted legislation presenting six constitutional amendments to North Carolina voters,&#8221; Justice Anita Earls wrote for the Court&#8217;s Democratic majority.
The two amendments at issue in the case were the voter ID amendment, as well as another amendment preventing the state income tax from ever being raised above 7%. The amendments were passed by a three-fifths majority of both chambers of the legislature; but the voter ID amendment only passed by two votes in the state House of Representatives and three in the Senate; the tax cap amendment passed by just one vote in the House and four votes in the Senate. In the general election in 2018, both amendments were ratified a majority of voters.
At the same time, a federal court ruling found that nearly 30 legislative districts were illegal racial gerrymanders; 100 of the state&#8217;s 170 legislative seats had to be redrawn, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-constitutions-constitutional-amendments-supreme-court-government-and-politics-b7f91cdc8dd7ee1ed80cc50e0fe91382">Associated Press</a> reported. Judges allowed the state legislators elected in 2016 to serve their two-year terms. But in 2018, using redrawn legislative maps, voters in the state broke Republican supermajorities in both houses, the <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article264680559.html">Raleigh News &amp; Observer</a> added.
The 2018 election formed the basis for the lawsuit, brought by the NAACP, which contended that even though voters had approved the amendments, they were invalid because they had been introduced by an unconstitutional legislature.
&#8220;We conclude that &#8230; the North Carolina Constitution impose[s] limits on these legislators’ authority to initiate the process of amending the constitution under these circumstances,&#8221; Earls wrote, adding, however, that the trial court&#8217;s ruling invalidating the amendments was too broad.
&#8220;In particular, the trial court should have examined &#8230; whether the legislature was composed of a sufficient number of legislators elected from unconstitutionally gerrymandered districts—or from districts that were made possible by the unconstitutional gerrymander—such that the votes of those legislators could have been decisive in passing the challenged enactments &#8230; In this case, however, the record is clear that votes of legislators from unconstitutionally gerrymandered districts could have been decisive.&#8221; The Court remanded the case back to the trial court to determine whether the amendment would have kept the legislators who passed it in power, whether it would have continued to exclude certain voters, or whether it would constitute the same kind of discrimination as the gerrymander itself.
Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Tim Moore (R), called the decision a &#8220;judicial coup&#8221; and vowed to keep fighting for the amendments in court.
“This party-line ruling is in direct contradiction to the rule of law and the will of the voters,&#8221; Moore said in a <a href="http://speakermoore.com/unprecedented-nc-supreme-court-ruling-undermines-voters-constitution/">statement</a>. “I will continue to fight for the Voter ID and Tax Cap Amendments, which were overwhelmingly approved by the people of North Carolina. It’s time to end the judicial coup that is unilaterally altering our constitution and subverting the will of North Carolina voters.”

Man hand knocking a wooden judge gavel, law and auction concept.

NC Supreme Court Says Voter ID Amendment May Be Invalid Because Of Racial Gerrymandering

Court

Racism

Voting Rights

Missouri Governor Mike Parson reformed state election laws on Wednesday by banning mail-in ballots and requiring all registered voters to show a photo ID in order to cast a ballot.
In a push to &#8220;strengthen election processes and voter confidence,&#8221; Parson signed <a href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/4557S.05T.pdf">House Bill 1878</a> into law, saying although Missouri has conducted &#8220;free, fair, and secure elections&#8221; in 2020 and prior elections, state officials want to remain that way in the face of &#8220;changing technologies and new emerging threats.&#8221;
&#8220;[The bill] strengthens our election processes and gives Missourians confidence that their voices are being accurately and securely recorded at the ballot box,&#8221; Parson said in a <a href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-signs-hb-1878-four-other-bills-law">statement</a>
Voter ID requirements, a measure Missouri Republicans have pined for nearly two decades only to have the courts strike down their efforts ruling them unconstitutional, finally made their way through the system. The law now requires government-issued photo IDs to cast ballots. However, those without one can cast a provisional vote only if the voter returns later that day with a proper ID for signature verification by election officials.
Missouri&#8217;s new law also modified several other rules on how the state conducts its elections, like opening a two-week window for voters to cast absentee ballots without citing an excuse why they can&#8217;t vote on Election Day. In addition, it prohibits local election authorities from accepting private donations — except for personal protective equipment, food, and water.
After the state&#8217;s upcoming primary next month, election officials must &#8220;air-gap&#8221; or disconnect all voting machines from the Internet. Following the 2022 Midterms, hand-marked paper ballots will stand as the official ballot beginning in 2023 — unless the voter chooses to use a ballot marking device. The law also banned the use of electronic voting counting machines starting in 2024.
Missouri&#8217;s latest election law gives the Secretary of State authority to audit voter rolls at any given point to ensure accuracy.
Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft backed the measure calling it &#8220;one of the strongest election laws in the country,&#8221; The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-missouri-government-and-politics-342663e72a921cb9a5f55657d87a0910">reported</a>.
&#8220;It makes sure that it&#8217;s easy to vote, it&#8217;s harder to cheat, and the people can have trust in the results,&#8221; Ashcroft said.
Democrat lawmakers pushed back on the photo ID requirement, according to The Associated Press, calling it &#8220;egregious&#8221; and &#8220;shameful&#8221; believing it could affect minority voters.
&#8220;What you&#8217;re trying to do is take us back to Jim Crow,&#8221; Democratic Rep. LaKeySha Bosley said during debate last month, The Associated Press reported.
Ashcroft clapped back on the Democrat talking point.
&#8220;It seems pretty racist to me to say that the color of skin determines whether or not someone knows how to get an ID,&#8221; Ashcroft told The Associated Press.
Missouri Representative John Simmons and Senator Sandy Crawford joined Gov. Parson during the ceremony signing calling it a common-sense measure and a safeguard to prevent voter fraud.
Missouri joins 17 other states in the union that has enacted voter identification laws that took effect this year, according to the <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx">National Conference of State Legislatures.</a>

Across The U.S. Voters Flock To The Polls On Election Day

“One Of The Strongest Election Laws In The Country”: Missouri Gov. Reforms Election Laws Banning Mail-In Ballots, Requiring Voter ID

Missouri Gov. Reforms Election Laws Banning Mail-In Ballots, Requiring Voter ID

Election Fraud

Election Laws

Missouri

Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams claimed on Monday that votes could still be suppressed in the Peach State despite high early voting turnout for the primary election.
On Tuesday, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/stacey-abrams-joy-reid-georgia-voter-suppression-record-turnout">flagged</a> an interview Abrams gave to MSNBC&#8217;s Joy Reid Monday night when she said there was &#8220;no correlation&#8221; between voter suppression and turn-out.
&#8220;There’s no correlation there,&#8221; Abrams told Reid after the MSNBC host claimed that Republicans were pushing a new &#8220;big lie&#8221; by saying that the 2021 Georgia election integrity law, which required photo ID among other measures, did not hamper people&#8217;s ability to vote.
&#8220;Voter suppression is about blocking or impeding certain types of voters from participating in elections,&#8221; Abrams continued. &#8220;Right now Republicans have the most competitive elections, but what we also don’t know is what is the mail-in ballot rejection rate? What are the difficulties people are having?&#8221;
&#8220;Voter suppression is not about stopping voting, it is about impeding certain voters from participating, and those voters, as you pointed out, are unlikely to be highly active in a primary,&#8221; Abrams added.
Last Friday, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/early-georgia-primary-voting-sets-record-highs-after-voter-id-law-signed-despite-leftists-warning-about-new-jim-crow">reported</a> that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office announced Wednesday evening that “more than 565,000 Georgians have voted early, which is a 153% increase from the same point in the early voting period in the 2018 primary election and a 189% increase in the 2020 primary election.&#8221;
“It’s fantastic. What it shows is that it’s never been easier to vote in Georgia, but we have the appropriate guardrails, securities in place,” Raffensperger <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/elections/raffensperger-georgia-early-voting-turnout/85-c8f49d96-1038-48ba-a9b8-66d03f2f91bc">told </a>reporters. “When you have strong security that elevates people’s confidence in the process. So now, we have photo ID for all absentee voting. We have 17 days of early voting. Just Thursday and Friday left to go…but we’re already seeing numbers pushing 200 percent higher than what in 2020.”
Abrams again said on Tuesday that the high turnout was &#8220;causation without correlation&#8221; while adding, &#8220;We know that increased turnout has nothing to do with suppression.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrat Stacey Abrams on Georgia&#39;s skyrocketing turnout: &quot;We know that increased turnout has nothing to do with suppression&quot; <a href="https://t.co/MzTnwNY7KK">pic.twitter.com/MzTnwNY7KK</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1529119592294932480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In reaction to Abrams&#8217; comments, Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action, told The Daily Wire that Georgia&#8217;s law, officially known as SB 202, was evidence that voting reforms can increase confidence in democracy.
&#8220;Georgia&#8217;s record turnout and efficient voting procedures have completely debunked the Left&#8217;s lies about voter suppression,&#8221; she added in an email. &#8220;By strengthening voter ID requirements, increasing mandatory days of early weekend voting, and preventing interest groups from election interference, Georgia has seen renewed confidence in their state&#8217;s election procedures and record-setting voter turnout.&#8221;
&#8220;In contrast, we have also seen problems in states, like Pennsylvania, who have not strengthened their election laws,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;After Governor Wolf vetoed legislation to reform and secure Pennsylvania&#8217;s mail-in ballot procedures, there have been issues in counting the ballots and, to this day, we still don&#8217;t have a final result from that election.&#8221;
&#8220;It is clear that these election reform efforts work in promoting turnout from all backgrounds by making it easier to vote and harder to cheat,&#8221; Anderson remarked.

Stacey Abrams Claims That Increased Voting Turnout ‘Has Nothing To Do With’ Voter Suppression

Democratic Georgia Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams Claims That High Voter Turnout Doesn't Disprove Voter Suppression

Voter Supression

Voters

Last Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) sat on a 2022 Munich Security Conference (MSC) panel titled “Stemming the Illiberal Tide: The Global Challenge of Eroding Democracy&#8221; and used the opportunity to bash Republicans, invoke January 6, and claim that rioters that day and other protesters were simply acting out against the Democratic party because she and her colleagues want to end dark money and corruption in politics. She also appeared to reference GOP Voter ID laws around the country and Democratic federal voting legislation as reasons why &#8220;democracy is on the ballot&#8221; in the 2022 midterm elections. A review of Pelosi&#8217;s remarks reveal her comments were filled with distortions of American politics.
Her comments came in response to Ivan Krastev, a political scientist hosting the panel, who asked Pelosi for her thoughts on how to protect American democracy from within its own borders.
Krastev asked:
<blockquote>The question I always wanted to ask you because you experience this on a everyday basis, if you read the opinion polls everybody in the United States is ready to defend democracy. The only problem is that many people believe that the biggest threat of democracy is the other party winning elections. So how is political polarization changing our understanding of democracy and what is your response to a situation in which basically attack on democracy is not coming from forces which declare themselves being anti-democratic, but [the] attack on democracy is [from] people who basically say that what they&#8217;re doing is simply defending democracy?</blockquote>
After making some opening remarks, Pelosi answered: &#8220;In terms of elections and what supports  a democracy, I don&#8217;t think any of us — over time — who ran for congress ever came with the idea that we were running for congress and we needed to win because it would save democracy.&#8221;
Pelosi also added that she ran for politics, because &#8220;You gotta take a punch for the children, throw a punch for the children,&#8221; while respecting other people&#8217;s views, but that this year something more is at stake – democracy itself, which Pelosi claimed was different from previous elections.
&#8220;That was how we think about democracy and as far as the Republicans are concerned, I tell the Republicans I know — and I do know some — take back your party, this isn&#8217;t who you are because, Ivan, the fact is in this election democracy is on the ballot,&#8221; the senior Democrat opined regarding the 2022 midterm election.
&#8220;I would never have said that before, but after January 6, and the events and legislation that have passed around the country to suppress the vote, to nullify elections, well that is democracy,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;When you just decide to nullify an election, then you are undermining the basic principle the sanctity of the vote — that is democracy.&#8221;
Despite her claims that she has never said that before, Pelosi <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2012/09/nancy-pelosi-dnc-speech-text-080771">has in fact said</a> &#8220;Democracy is on the ballot&#8221; on at least one occasion in a plea to voters. In 2012 at the Democratic National Convention, Pelosi gave a speech claiming &#8220;our democracy is on the ballot&#8221; while encouraging voters to remember to &#8220;vote for democracy&#8221; at the polls by voting for President Barack Obama and down-ballot Democrats.
Pelosi then moved toward discussing January 6, claiming protesters as well as elected officials were motivated to overturn the election because of the Democrats stance against dark money in politics.
&#8220;What you saw on January 6 was an assault on the capital, the temple of democracy,&#8221; Pelosi added. &#8220;In our view — terrible, but worse an attack on the Congress, worse an attack on the constitution of the United States. A day — that Wednesday was the day designated by the constitution to implement the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next.&#8221;
&#8220;But instead of that, I mean the point is is that we&#8217;re there to make sure that democracy has more transparency that people have trust, that one of the reasons they were going after us is because we wanted to end big dark special interest money in politics,&#8221; Pelosi said at one point. &#8220;We wanted to stop the suppression of the vote, and the nullification of elections, and that&#8217;s part of the assault they had on but transparency accountability we&#8217;ve heard those words before in this conference very important to democracy.&#8221;
As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-raised-more-dark-money-in-2020-than-republicans-while-campaigning-against-it">reported</a> last February, despite Pelosi&#8217;s lip service, her party actually raised and used more dark money than Republicans in the 2020 election cycle. The Daily Wire noted that in that cycle, &#8220;pro-Biden groups received $145 million from dark money donors, while groups aligned with former President Donald Trump received just $28.4 million.&#8221;
Though she did not reference it by name, her talking points were nearly identical to recent statements Pelosi has made while pushing for Democratic voting legislation in the name of democracy, claiming that GOP officials around the country were working to nullify elections and undermine democracy with voting laws similar to the voting reform bill recently passed in the state of Georgia.
“The need to protect our democracy could not be more urgent, as America faces the most dangerous assault on the vote since Jim Crow,&#8221; Pelosi <a href="https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/11122">said in a statement</a> this January.
&#8220;Last year alone, Republican lawmakers introduced over 440 draconian voter suppression bills across 49 states, with at least 19 states enacting 34 measures into law.  Meanwhile, Republican-appointed judges have erased hard-won voter protections, including on the Supreme Court,&#8221; she claimed. She also claimed that members of the GOP in Congress have &#8220;voted to aid and abet this anti-democratic campaign.&#8221; thereby &#8220;diminishing our democracy here at home, but tarnishing our example of freedom around the world.&#8221;
Yet, as The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/water-and-jim-crow-debunking-the-most-egregious-georgia-voting-law-falsehoods">reported</a> extensively, Democrats have misinformed about nearly every aspect of the voting law. Democrats have claimed voters can&#8217;t have access to water or food while in the voting line — which is not true, the bill only placed limits on who could pass out food and water to voters in line. The Left has also claimed that voter IDs harm black Americans and that the majority of Americans oppose photo requirements. Data and polls show both of those claims are false. Lastly, the comparison to Jim Crow is not appropriate as voting ID laws do not in anyway segregate society or purposefully discriminate against minorities or anybody else for that matter.
Pelosi&#8217;s MSC remarks can be seen here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Speaker Pelosi Participates in Munich Security Conference Panel on Democracy" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SxLCPC-2jCo?start=818&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Nancy Pelosi

‘Democracy Is On The Ballot’: Pelosi Bashes Republicans, Invokes January 6, On World Stage

January 6

On Sunday, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger appeared on CBS’ “Face The Nation” with host Margaret Brennan.
During a segment on voting legislation, Raffensperger and Brennan sparred over voter ID requirements, as well as citizen voting.
“I think that we should have a constitutional amendment, a U.S. constitution amendment that only American citizens vote in our elections. I think we should have also photo ID,” Raffensperger said.
Brennan jumped in, saying that “only U.S. citizens do currently vote in elections,” to which Raffensperger replied: “But we don&#8217;t have a constitutional amendment.”
The Georgia Secretary of State continued, noting that “cities are trying to push non-citizen voting,” and that majorities of Americans support both citizenship requirements and voter ID.
Brennan claimed the latest voting laws being pushed by Democrats “promote a national standard for states that have an ID requirement for in-person voting. You could use a bank statement or utility bill.”
“It does not have photo ID, and photo ID is the most secure way of using — making sure that you can identify who the voter is, and I think that&#8217;s very important,” Raffensperger said. “And then they also want same-day registration, and that&#8217;s just, you know, very difficult for any election official to manage. And I think that undermines trust in elections.”
According to a <a href="https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_us_062121/">June poll</a> by Monmouth University, a strong majority of Americans believe that ID should be required to vote.
“In general, do you support or oppose requiring voters to show a photo I.D. in order to vote?” the poll asked. 80% of respondents supported voter ID, while just 18% opposed it.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WMzMVLSijks" width="720" height="385" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">﻿</iframe>
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT:
<blockquote>RAFFENSPERGER: I think that we should have a constitutional amendment, a U.S. constitution amendment that only American citizens vote in our elections. I think we should have also photo ID. We now have photo ID for all forms of voting in Georgia&#8211;
BRENNAN: Only U.S. citizens do currently vote in elections, but go on.
RAFFENSPERGER: But we don&#8217;t have a constitutional amendment. Now you see cities are trying to push non-citizen voting, and I believe that only American citizens should be voting in our elections, that’s supported by a wide variety — a wide majority of all Americans, just like photo ID is supported by all demographic groups and a majority of both political parties. And that&#8217;s what they&#8217;ve been using in Minnesota for over 11 years for their absentee balloting. So that&#8217;s another, you know, solid, common sense federal reform measure if they really want to get serious about election reform.
BRENNAN: I assume there you&#8217;re referring to the president and the vice president, who will be traveling to your state in the coming days. They are doing so to campaign for two laws: the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
RAFFENSPERGER: Right, and–
BRENNAN: The Freedom to Vote Act actually does promote a national standard for states that have an ID requirement for in-person voting. You could use a bank statement or utility bill. I wonder, why do you think Republicans–
RAFFENSPERGER: It does not have — it does not have photo ID, and photo ID is the most secure way of using — making sure that you can identify who the voter is, and I think that&#8217;s very important. And then they also want same day registration, and that&#8217;s just, you know, very difficult for any election official to manage. And I think that undermines trust in elections. And right now, we need to restore trust wherever we can.</blockquote>

WATCH: GA Secretary Of State Spars With CBS Host Over Voter ID

Brad Raffensperger

On Thursday, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson penned a letter to the Players Associations representing five major professional sports leagues, asking potential free agents to avoid signing with teams in Texas because of the state&#8217;s voting and abortion laws. 
The letter was sent to the Players Associations of the NBA, NFL, WNBA, NHL, and MLB, and urges professional athletes to “seek employment with sports teams located in states that will protect, honor and serve your families with integrity.” 
“From abortion to voting rights and mask mandates, Texas has become a blueprint by legislators to violate constitutional rights for all, especially for women, children, and marginalized communities,” <a href="https://naacp.org/articles/naacp-urges-professional-athletes-free-agency-avoid-texas">writes</a> Johnson.  
&#8220;As we watch an incomprehensible assault on basic human rights unfold in Texas, we are simultaneously witnessing a threat to constitutional guarantees for women, children, and marginalized communities. Over the past few months, legislators in Texas have passed archaic policies, disguised as laws, that directly violate privacy rights and a women’s freedom to choose, restrict access to free and fair elections for Black and brown voters, and increase the risk of contracting coronavirus. If you are a woman, avoid Texas. If you are Black, avoid Texas. If you want to lower your chances of dying from coronavirus, avoid Texas.” 
In recent months, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law an election integrity bill as well as the “Heartbeat Bill,” which prohibits most abortions after six weeks, when fetal cardiac activity can be detected.
According to the <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/31/texas-voting-restrictions-bill/">Texas Tribune</a>, the election integrity bill &#8220;establishes new ID requirements for voting by mail, enhances protections for partisan poll watchers and sets new rules, and possible criminal penalties, for those who assist voters.”
“It also makes it a state jail felony for local election officials to proactively distribute applications for mail-in ballots, even if they are providing them to voters who automatically qualify to vote by mail or groups helping get out the vote.” 
Johnson’s letter calls the voting law “extreme” that “dilute[s] the voices of people of color.” 
“By limiting the ability to offer free and fair elections to all, Texas remains a state of hostility for many communities,” the letter states. “Recently released data from the 2020 census shows that people of color have driven 95% of the Texas population growth. Yet, new voting legislation and political maps put these communities at risk of not being able to participate in their democracy. These laws are intended to suppress our constitutional right to vote.&#8221;
On September 1, a Texas law effectively banning most abortions over 6 weeks — when a heartbeat can be detected — went into effect. The law allows private citizens to sue anyone assisting a person seeking an illicit abortion. 
“The Texas government has also empowered vigilantes with the authority of the law, going so far as to offer a $10,000 incentive to sue all who aid women in exercising their constitutional right to an abortion,” the letter from the NAACP reads. 
The letter also discusses Texas&#8217;s COVID-19 policies, with Abbott signing an executive order in May banning mask mandates in schools.
&#8220;Concurrently, the Texas Attorney General is suing school districts that prioritize the health and safety of their students and teachers by requiring masks.&#8221;
“We are now pleading with you — if you are a free agent and are considering employment in Texas, look elsewhere,” the letter concludes. “The Texas government will not protect your family. Demand that Texas owners invest in your rights and protect your investments. Texas is not safe for you, your spouse, or your children. Until the legislation is overturned, Texas isn’t safe for anyone.”
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

Texas Governor Abbott Speaks At Business Coalition Meeting

‘Texas Isn’t Safe For Anyone’: NAACP Pens Letter Pleading With Pro Athletes Not To Sign With Teams In State Over Abortion And Voting Laws

Abortion

Texas

Election integrity laws that require voters to present an identification card are racist because “the underlying documents are hard to get,” according to a recent guest on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time.” This is especially true if you are a “black or brown person,” Georgetown sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson told Chris Cuomo about Texas’ election integrity law. Yet, under Texas state law, it is possible to get all or most of the documents necessary to obtain a state ID for free, or possibly at taxpayers’ expense.
Chris Cuomo hyped his segment on voter ID laws by describing Dyson as “so smart, he&#8217;s got three names.” Cuomo then invited Dyson to weigh in on Senator Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) defense of Texas’ anti-voting fraud measures during Senate hearings this week.
“Well, it was a shenanigan,” said Dyson. “It was a sleight of hand.”
Dyson contended that voter ID laws place an intolerable burden on minorities because “it takes a lot of money to get the underlying documents.”
“The reason a lot of black folk don&#8217;t have state issue IDs,” Dyson explained, is “because the underlying documents are hard to get.” He said it was harder “trying to get them as a black or brown person living in rural areas,” since that entails “trying to go to the document centers [and] paying the fees, anywhere from $75 to $175.”
“Now, that doesn&#8217;t sound a lot for people who are middle-class and upper middle-class,” said Dyson. “But for people who are struggling every day trying to make ends meet, this [has] a deleterious impact upon them.”
A review of Texas state laws governing state identification shows that most of the documents requested are furnished free of charge.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a Texan seeking his first state ID card must <a href="https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/how-apply-texas-identification-card">prove</a> 1) U.S. citizenship or lawful residence; 2) that he has been a resident of Texas for 30 days; 3) his identity; and 4) possession of a Social Security Number.
U.S. citizenship: Native-born Americans can prove their citizenship by <a href="https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-57.pdf">showing</a> a certified birth certificate. Legal immigrants and visa holders must provide the appropriate immigration certificates (Certificate of Naturalization, Permanent Resident card, etc).
Identity: It may seem difficult to establish an individual’s identity without an identification card, but Texas streamlines the process. If someone does not have a state ID or an unexpired passport, he can present an “unexpired U.S. military photo ID card for active duty, reserve or retired personnel.” (During the segment, Dyson complained of states that accept “enrolled active military ID but not the veterans ID.”) Legal immigrants may present their immigration documentation.
If the individual does not have one of those documents, he may present two of the following: a certified U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a court order changing the individual’s name or legally recognized gender identification.
If the individual does not have two of those documents, he may present one of those documents (e.g., a birth certificate) along with two of the following: an expired state ID, voter registration card, school report cards or ID, any insurance policy that has been held continuously for two years, a marriage or divorce certificate, Medicaid or Medicare card, Social Security card, tribal membership card, a vehicular or boat registration or title, a hospital-issued birth record, immunization records, school report card or ID, Selective Service card, military records, state or federal prison ID, or a parole or release certificate.
Texas residence: Texas residency can be proved by furnishing two of several documents, including many of the documents listed above (e.g., medical card, vehicle registration, or insurance), as well as any utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, W-2 form, auto payment statement, or any piece of mail from any government agency sent in the last 90 days.
It would be possible to obtain a Texas state ID for free by furnishing a certified birth certificate and any combination of a Social Security card, a Selective Service card, a marriage certificate, a pay stub, a W-2, military record, a Medicaid card, a prison ID, and/or a parole certificate.
If, for some reason, the applicant has lost his birth certificate, a certified long- or short-form birth certificate <a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/costs-fees.aspx#birth">costs $22</a>. While he must prove his identity, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services will accept an <a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/reqproc/Acceptable-IDs/">even wider variety</a> of underlying documents for this purpose.
Dyson couched the law’s alleged racism by saying it imposes an undue burden on people of color. “Even if you exclude intent,” he said, the “disproportionate consequence on black and brown voters … you’ve got a nasty affair on your hands.”
Far from disenfranchising any protected group, aspects of Texas voter identification laws appear to disproportionately benefit the poor and minorities. For instance, Medicaid and prisoner ID cards cost their recipients nothing, while Texas’ taxpayers foot the cost for those services. Both may be used to obtain a state ID and make one eligible to cast a ballot.
Dyson’s assertion that the Texas election integrity law disenfranchises minorities also appears untenable. Hispanics accounted for 51% of all Medicaid beneficiaries, and black Texans made up 15% of Medicaid enrollees in 2015, <a href="https://www.hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/laws-regulations/reports-presentations/2017/medicaid-chip-perspective-11th-edition/11th-edition-chapter4.pdf">according</a> to the Texas HHS.
Similarly, accepting prison IDs disproportionately helps “black and brown people” register to vote. Dyson <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/23/bia.michael.dyson/index.html">wrote</a> on CNN’s website that nationally “in 2000, there were 791,600 black men in jail or prison,” including <a href="https://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2profile.aspx?mdocNumber=212687">his brother, Everett Dyson-Bey</a>, who is serving life in prison for <a href="https://casetext.com/case/dyson-v-maclaren-1">murder</a>. Blacks and Hispanics each made up <a href="https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/documents/Statistical_Report_FY2019.pdf">one-third</a> of all Texas prisoners in 2019, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The state of Texas began giving prisoners about to be released a taxpayer-funded <a href="https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/connections/MarApr2014/agency_vol21no4.html">state ID card</a> in February 2014, under then-Governor Rick Perry (R), in order to eliminate the 30-day processing period and give prisoners reintegrating into society “immediate access to employment and housing.” Under state law, ex-convicts who have “<a href="https://guides.sll.texas.gov/reentry-resources/voting">fully discharged</a>” their sentences are eligible <a href="http://therightswriter.com/2009/06/sotomayor%E2%80%99s-racialist-judicial-activism/">to vote</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Michael Eric Dyson warns Democrats against abandoning efforts on voters’ rights legislation.
“We got to stand up,” he tells <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCuomo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chriscuomo</a>. “Don’t be feckless or spineless&#8230; Democrats have to find their voices and their consciences and say ‘enough is enough.’” <a href="https://t.co/MkG6nBGUeL">pic.twitter.com/MkG6nBGUeL</a>
&mdash; Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) <a href="https://twitter.com/CuomoPrimeTime/status/1440859092277501953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Although Dyson appeared on CNN, he regularly provides commentary on rival MSNBC. In June, Dyson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E92hfGFhhI">insulted</a> Trump voters as “the maggots — I’m sorry, the MAGA,” calling them “mediocre, mealy-mouthed, snowflake white men who are incapable of taking critique.” He later said he actually called Republicans “‘MAGAts,’ not ‘maggots’” in an attempt to be “cute and clever.” Dyson averred that he “didn’t anticipate” GOP voters “who are white would hear it as” an insult and claimed that his remarks brought him “an onslaught of death threats and being called the n-word out of white rage for a mistake I made.”
MSNBC has invited Dyson back on the air numerous times since his outburst. Last Tuesday, he appeared on “The ReidOut,” where he <a href="https://twitter.com/thereidout/status/1438663747095207944">hailed</a> “Joy Reid, the Nicki Minaj of black, female journalists.”
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

CNN Expert Claims Black Voters Don’t Have IDs Because ‘Underlying Documents Are Hard To Get’. Many Are Free.

Chris Cuomo

Michael Eric Dyson

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a voter integrity bill into law Tuesday &#8212; the same law that Texas Democrats fled the state to avoid voting on.
In a signing ceremony held Tuesday, Abbott said the bill makes &#8220;it easier than ever before for anybody to go cast a ballot. It does also, however, make sure it is harder than ever for people to cheat at the ballot box.&#8221;
&#8220;Election integrity is now law in Texas,&#8221; Abbott said before signing.
The bill takes several measures to ensure integrity in casting ballots, instituting a ban on drive-through and round-the-clock voting, and adding an ID requirement for mail-in and absentee ballots.
&#8220;Those who do want to vote-by-mail must now provide their driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when they’re applying for a mail-in ballot and when they send it back in,&#8221; the Daily Mail explained. The same measure also mandates that polling locations in areas with more than 55,000 residents offer at least 12 hours of early voting.
The bill also establishes a training program for poll watchers, who can now be more aggressive in monitoring the voting process. Poll watchers are no longer forced to sit in place, allowing them to keep track of activity across the polling location. Anyone assisting someone in filling out a ballot will now also have to sign an affidavit indicating that they did so according to the voter&#8217;s wishes and not their own.
<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9966683/Texas-Gov-Greg-Abbott-SIGNS-new-voting-bill-runaway-Democrats-fled-state-block.html">According to the Daily Mail</a>, the bill also requires the Texas Secretary of State to maintain consistently updated voter rolls.
Democratic legislators in Texas tried to forestall passage of the bill by leaving the state, traveling on chartered private planes to Washington, D.C., where they planned to agitate for the For the People Act, a federal voting rights bill that critics claim would amount to a federal &#8220;takeover&#8221; of a state-level election process. Once in Washington, D.C., however, some of the Texas Democratic legislators fell ill with COVID-19, triggering a small outbreak among Democratic Congressional and White House staffers.
The protests &#8220;did not wind up significantly changing the bill,&#8221; the Daily Mail noted Tuesday, and the Texas legislature was able to eventually return to session, pass the bill, and send it to Abbott&#8217;s desk. The most significant change is to the voter ID requirement, which now says voters must provide a driver&#8217;s license or social security number that matches the one in their state voter record. Previously, the bill required a driver&#8217;s license or social security number that was identical to the one on the application form from when they first registered to vote.
&#8220;The governor’s signature ends months of legislative clashes and standoffs during which Democrats — propelled by concerns that the legislation raises new barriers for marginalized voters — forced Republicans into two extra legislative sessions,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/01/texas-voting-bill-greg-abbott/">Texas Tribune noted</a>.  &#8220;SB 1 is set to take effect three months after the special legislative session, in time for the 2022 primary elections.&#8221;
Democrats are planning a legal challenge to the law.

57F2D838-EA44-498A-A271-D7FF73F34B73_1_201_a

‘Election Integrity Is Now Law In Texas’: Abbott Signs Bill That Triggered Dem Flight To DC

Greg Abbott

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