 |  | Dear ~~first_name~~,
Today is the last day of early voting in the local elections happening across the state. Election Day is May 6th, 2023. If you haven’t voted in your local election yet, you can find get the election information you need, like what is on your ballot and polling locations and times at VOTE411.org.
There are now 27 days left in the 88th Legislative session, and the power grab of the state over local control continues to move forward. There are several ways for you to get involved:
- If you are in the Austin area on Thursday, May 4th, we encourage you to provide testimony on your behalf or drop a card. Find out more in Stephanie Swanson’s voting rights update below and in the "Announcements" section.
- LWV Texas is a co-host for the “We Know Our Worth: Rally For Our Rights” on Saturday, May 13th, 2:00-4:00 p.m. CT at the Capitol. For more information, see the "Announcements" section below. If you plan to attend, RSVP here.
May is designated as Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) month. It is a time to recognize the diverse cultures, traditions, histories, and roles that Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have played in shaping the history, culture, and economy of the United States.
May is also Mental Health Awareness month (MHA), originating in 1949. Mental Health Awareness Month serves as an important reminder of the need to prioritize and support mental health in our communities and to work towards a more compassionate and inclusive society.
LWV Texas is once again saddened and angered by yet another mass shooting in Cleveland, Texas by an assault weapon. We once again call upon our Texas Legislators and Congress to pass sensible gun laws outlawing such weapons. Our hearts go out to the victims' families and the Cleveland, Texas community.
In League, |  | | Your Texas League in Action |  |
Capitol Action Report
by Elisabeth MacNamara
As the time gets shorter, the pace picks up at the Legislature. What specific bills will become law is still unclear, but the broad outlines of the goals this session are not in doubt: where Texans live matters, especially in elections. The impact of legislation preempting local ordinances is easy to see, but the impact of the preemption of local authority in elections is less so particularly for those who do not volunteer to register voters and serve as poll workers.
What does it mean to individual voters if the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) is successfully challenged in court (which is already happening in other states and is proposed here in Texas)? What does it mean to those voters if their local election administrator is fired by the Legislature or placed under the conservatorship of the Secretary of State? What difference does it make if local election workers are threatened with criminal penalties, or their elections are under constant audit?
Read the full update here.
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Voting Rights and Election Law Update
by Stephanie Swanson
Yesterday marked the first day of the last month of Texas's legislative session. While so much is sitting in limbo right now as we wait to see which bills that have crossed over from the Senate will be advanced in the House, one thing is clear: there are numerous bills that are moving that would have serious consequences on free and fair elections in Texas. And unlike in previous legislative sessions where legislators have packaged their bills into omnibus legislation, this session lawmakers are peppering us with smaller, standalone bills that are often very nuanced and largely unworkable.
One thing is clear: these bills are not about election integrity, rather they aim to keep people from voting. From kicking eligible voters off the voter rolls due to inactivity, to intimidating election workers by creating new criminal penalties for administrative mistakes, to requiring the Secretary of State to assume administrative control over an entire county's election process, the outcomes of the bills being advanced will inject more politics in our elections and will ultimately place more burdens on Texas voters.
Read the full update here.
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Thoughts and Prayers are Not Enough! Send HB 2744 to the Floor
HB 2744 is a response to the shooting in Uvalde and other mass killings by shooters under the age of 21. The bill is currently stuck in committee but deserves a full House vote. Use our Take Action Center to email your legislators, look up your legislator's phone number to call them, or write a letter to the editor.
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LWVTX Take Action Center & Action Alerts!
Use our Take Action Center to email your legislators, look up your legislator's phone number to call them, or write a letter to the editor. Take action on these priority issues and more:
- NEW! Thoughts and Prayers are Not Enough! Send HB 2744 to the Floor - HB 2744 is a response to the shooting in Uvalde and other mass killings by shooters under the age of 21. The bill is currently stuck in committee but deserves a full House vote.
- SB 814 is Costly State Overreach - SB 814 eliminates the ability for local government to regulate business and commerce to protect workers, residents, and the environment and much more.
- Our Vote is Our Choice, But It Could Put Us Behind Bars - SB 2 would increase penalties for ineligible voters and criminalize simple mistakes.
- Protect Local Control Over Local Elections - HB 3611 would ban ranked choice voting in all elections in Texas including local nonpartisan races.
- Don't Withdraw From ERIC - SB 1070 would withdraw Texas from a 34-state information sharing programs that allow states to obtain accurate information on voters who have died or moved out of state.
- Protect Election Administrators - HB 2020 would allow the Secretary of State to remove a local election administrator based on ill-defined criteria.
- Protect the Power of Local Elected Officials - The Senate will vote soon on four bills that will hamper local elected officials from protecting their constituents and responding to the needs of their communities.
- Oppose HB 5053 as Vague and Arbitrary - HB 5053 allows violations of the Election Code to be tried in counties or districts adjoining the county or district in which the alleged offense occurred.
|  | | LWV Houston
Photo credit: League of Women Voters of Houston Facebook page. Together with Empowered Youth at the University of Houston-Downtown, LWV Houston registered voters and distributed nonpartisan election information at five locations across campus. Read more here.
|  | LWV Comal County
Photo credit: League of Women Voters of Comal County Facebook page. Local K-8th graders amazed the contest judges with the creativity and impact of their entries in the Be My Voice-VOTE Art Poster Contest sponsored by LWV Comal County. Read more here and here.
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LWV Bay Area
Photo credit: The League of Women Voters of the Bay Area (Texas) Twitter account. LWV Bay Area put up VOTE411.org signs with QR codes across the area to educate voters about the upcoming election. Read more here.
|  | LWV Dallas
Photo credit: League of Women Voters of Dallas Facebook page. Diane H. Tasian, LWV Dallas president, spoke on voter's rights and activism at the “Citizens at Last: The Woman Suffrage Movement in Texas” event at Dallas College. Read more here.
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| Your Texas League in the News |
Preemption of Local Authority is Out of Control
Editor, The Gilmer Mirror | Published on 4/24/23
In response to the alarming attacks on local government authority trending in the 88sth Legislative Session, League of Women Voters of Texas President Joyce LeBombard issued the following statement:
“Legislation currently in front of the Texas Legislature seeks to take over control from local governments and other vital local entities, including election administration. The League of Women Voters is alarmed at this proposed change as it threatens the trustworthy and transparent work of our local election officials."
Read the full article here.
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The 13 election bills to watch as the Texas Legislature heads into its last month
Natalia Contreras, Votebeat and The Texas Tribune | Published on 5/2/23
With about a month left in this legislative session, bills giving state officials more authority over local elections appear poised to win lawmakers’ support. As Votebeat has reported, bills such as these could have implications for the hiring and retention of elections officials and could change the working dynamic between the counties and the secretary of state’s office. Some voting rights groups such as the League of Women Voters say this type of legislation is also concerning because it “infringes on the rights of county governments” who are best positioned to address the needs of their voters.
Read the full article here.
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Preemption of Local Authority Op-Ed for Dallas Morning News
Joyce LeBombard
Government is best that is closest to the people has been a central tenet of our democracy since its founding. Unfortunately, in this session, the Texas Legislature is doing its own version of the Texas Two-Step to dance around that principle interfering with or usurping local authority in different areas.
Read the full article here.
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Emergency Texas Voting Rights Advocates Call
This Thursday, May 4th, the Texas House Elections Committee is hearing bills designed to allow the state takeover of elections and dilute the power of your vote by instilling an expensive HISD-style conservator at the cost to taxpayers. We won't let this happen, but we need your help to stop this attack on Texas voting rights.
Join LWV Texas and other Texas Election Reform Coalition members on May 2nd at 5:30pm in an emergency organizing call. This training will describe what's happening with these bills – and train you to testify on your behalf to defend Texas' elections from attack at the Texas Legislature.
Register for the training here.
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We Know Our Worth: Rally for Our Rights
Texans of all races and backgrounds deserve to be heard, seen, and represented in the halls of the Legislature. Instead, out-of-touch and power-hungry politicians have pushed forward with bills that will allow for a state takeover of our local governments, our classrooms, our bodies, and our elections rather than addressing our actual needs.
We Know Our Worth: Rally for Our Rights comes at a pivotal time during the session when the worst of the worst bills are nearing their final stages. It's time for our politicians to hear our voices and work for us.
There will be music from a local DJ, performances from two fabulous queens, Nadine Hughes and Sierra Mykels, and a lineup of fierce guest speakers who have been fiercely holding it down at the #txlege defending our rights. Join us in showing the strength of our movement, making our voices heard, and bringing people into the fight for our democracy!
More info here.
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League of Women Voters of Texas
1212 Guadalupe St. #107
Austin Texas, 78701
(512) 472-1100
lwvtexas@lwvtexas.org
lwvtexas.org
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