After months of delays by Texas Democrats, the Texas House voted 80-41 to approve Senate Bill 1 which will enact several new barriers to the ballot box for marginalized voters. Continue reading “Texas House Approves GOP Voting Restrictions”
Texas Democrats Leaving State To Block Voting Restrictions Bill
Democratic lawmakers in the state of Texas are reportedly leaving the state today in order to break the quorum required to pass new voting laws. The governor had called the special session into order primarily for the purpose of passing the legislation.
From the Texas Tribune:
Upping the ante in both the legislative fight at home and the national debate over voting rights, most House Democrats are expected to board a flight out of Austin headed for the U.S. capital without a set return date.
At least 51 of the 67 Democratic representatives — the number needed to break quorum — were in the process of leaving, most arriving at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Monday to board a chartered flight.
The House is set to reconvene Tuesday morning, but the absent Democrats would mean there will not be enough members present to conduct business under House rules.
Texas Democrats are hoping to find some (any) leverage to force their way to the negotiating table as them say they’ve been shut out of drafting of the voting bill.
My Democratic colleagues and I are leaving the state to break quorum and kill the Texas voter suppression bill.
We’re flying to DC to demand Congress pass the For The People Act and save our democracy.
Good trouble. #txlege pic.twitter.com/gvDi8zcyey
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) July 12, 2021
BREAKING: Texas Democrats will leave the state to deprive the Republican-led legislature of the quorum needed to pass their voter suppression bill.
The special legislative session can last 30 days, meaning these Texas Dems will be out of state for weeks.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) July 12, 2021
Ted Cruz fled Texas to avoid the cold.
Texas Democrats are fleeing Texas to continue the fight against voter suppression for Texans.
Don't be like Fled Cruz.
BE like Texas Democrats.— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) July 12, 2021
Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Voting Restrictions
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Arizona’s new voting restrictions in a 6-3 ruling today.
From the New York Times:
The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld voting restrictions in Arizona and signaled that challenges to new state laws making it harder to vote would face a hostile reception from a majority of the justices.
The vote was 6 to 3, with the court’s three liberal members in dissent.
The new case, Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, No. 19-1257, concerned two kinds of voting restrictions in Arizona. One required election officials to discard ballots cast at the wrong precinct. The other made it a crime for campaign workers, community activists and most other people to collect ballots for delivery to polling places, a practice critics call “ballot harvesting.” The law made exceptions for family members, caregivers and election officials.
Read the full article here.
BREAKING NEWS: In 6-3 ruling, SCOTUS upholds two Arizona voting provisions: a ban on so-called "ballot harvesting," and a policy that throws out an entire ballot if it was cast in the wrong precinct. Challengers argued that both provisions discriminate against minority voters.
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) July 1, 2021
Breaking: Supreme Court upholds GOP voting restrictions in Arizona, further weakening Voting Rights Act & giving green-light to GOP voter suppression laws. 6-3 opinion by Alito. Kagan dissents https://t.co/YTt9hzew3n
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) July 1, 2021
Now: SCOTUS has ruled that two Arizona voting restrictions (tossing out-of-precinct ballots and banning third-party collection of ballots) don't violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which broadly prohibits racial discrimination https://t.co/3d7Xk3mlfq pic.twitter.com/Mqlet6Dd4Q
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) July 1, 2021
Justice Department Sues Georgia Over GOP Voting Restrictions

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has announced the Department of Justice is suing the state of Georgia over its recently passed voting restrictions,
According to the DOJ, the new law passed earlier this year was “enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote.”
From Axios:
It’s the first major action the Biden administration has taken in response to the wave of voting restrictions that Republican-led states have sought to impose in the wake of President Biden’s election.
In a major policy speech earlier this month, Garland pledged to make voting rights a top priority, doubling the number of enforcement staff dedicated to protecting the right to vote.
The lawsuit is being overseen by Kristen Clarke, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela Karlan.
Garland also announced Friday that DOJ is launching a task force to investigate and respond to threats against election officials.
Good. https://t.co/vxwPOQfj6Q
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) June 25, 2021
Joe Manchin Will Vote No On Voting Rights Bill

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) penned an op-ed for the Charleston Gazette-Mail to inform his constituents he will be voting against the For the People Act which would strengthen voting rights across the country.
He adds that he will not support jettisoning the Senate filibuster which calls for 60 votes to close debate on certain bills and move on to a final vote.
Some in my party have argued that now is the time to discard such bipartisan voting reforms and embrace election reforms and policies solely supported by one party. Respectfully, I do not agree.
I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act. Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.
For as long as I have the privilege of being your U.S. senator, I will fight to represent the people of West Virginia, to seek bipartisan compromise no matter how difficult and to develop the political bonds that end divisions and help unite the country we love.
American democracy is something special, it is bigger than one party, or the tweet-filled partisan attack politics of the moment. It is my sincere hope that all of us, especially those who are privileged to serve, remember our responsibility to do more to unite this country before it is too late.
I understand Manchin believing he’s taking a ‘principled’ approach here. But many say Manchin’s stand for “bipartisan compromise” will basically kill most of the policies Joe Biden promised the American people during his campaign – which got him elected.
Joe Manchin @Sen_JoeManchin:
Using all of the tools at our disposal to stop the blowtorching of our democracy isn’t partisan.
It’s patriotic.
Refusing to stand against voter suppression isn’t noble.
It’s dereliction of duty.
Cc: @kyrstensinema
— Nick Knudsen 🇺🇸 (@NickKnudsenUS) June 6, 2021
Joe Manchin is happy to let Republicans unilaterally enact voter suppression laws but refuses to vote for the For The People Act because he says it’s too “partisan.”
Let’s be clear: there is nothing “partisan” about protecting the right to vote.
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) June 6, 2021
The Affordable Care Act passed the Senate on strictly partisan lines yet became so popular that Joe Manchin based his reelection campaign in 2018 on a pledge to fight attempts to repeal the law.
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) June 6, 2021
Never been this disappointed in a politician before. Joe Manchin is voting against the right to vote. His real reason can only be if we elect more Dems he will lose personal power and leverage he has now. Like so many before him, power has stolen his heart.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) June 6, 2021
“I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act.”
Republicans can rig democracy— and so long as they’re united, Manchin will let it fly. https://t.co/1YWoesUfM7
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) June 6, 2021
Joe Manchin's lazy arrogance is off the charts. He's destroying voting rights by calling for bipartisanship, while doing nothing to bring that about. He's the person you dread running into, because of his droning self-satisfaction
— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) June 6, 2021
Texas Democrats Walkout To Stop Voter Restriction Bill Vote
With a midnight deadline hanging over the proceedings, Texas Democrats staged a walkout in the state House successfully blocking a voting bill that would have made it harder to vote by mail, limit driving non-family members to the polls, and more.
From the Washington Post:
The exodus from the floor came after Chris Turner, the House Democratic chairman, sent instructions to colleagues at 10:35 p.m. Central time instructing them to exit the House, according to an image shared with The Washington Post.
“Members, take your key and leave the chamber discreetly,” Turner wrote, referring to the key that locks the voting mechanism on their desks. “Do not go to the gallery. Leave the building.”
Texas sets a quorum for each legislative chamber at 2/3 of the elected members (Texas Constitution Article 3, Section 10). In the House, that means 100 representatives have to be present for a vote. Republicans only have 83 House seats.
The bill (Senate Bill 7) would ban drop boxes and drive-through voting – popular practices used in heavily Democratic Harris County last year. It would have moved early voting hours on Sundays to the afternoon. That clause was clearly aimed at the get-out-the-vote programs known as ‘souls to the polls’ popular among Black churchgoers.
The bill is dead for now, however, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced he will call a special legislative session to address the bill again later in the year.
The exodus from the floor came after Chris Turner, the House Democratic chairman, sent instructions to colleagues at 10:35 p.m. CDT: “Members, take your key and leave the chamber discreetly. Do not go to the gallery. Leave the building.” https://t.co/ZGXa1hcwpG
— Amy Gardner (@AmyEGardner) May 31, 2021
This is just the fourth time that Texas lawmakers have broken quorum to stop debate on a bill.
2003 – redistricting
1979 – split elections
1870 – militia/martial lawhttps://t.co/f0Hhbfulfk#txlege #SB7— Lauren “Vaxxed to the Max” McGaughy 🌟 (@lmcgaughy) May 31, 2021
House Democrats that walked off the House floor are currently holding a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in East Austin. #SB7 #TxLege pic.twitter.com/ijDoPq4MCU
— Miguel Gutierrez Jr. (@mgutierrezjr) May 31, 2021
Texas Democrats did what we could tonight but this fight is far from over.
We won’t stop fighting until each and every eligible voter has true access to that ballot box.
Now we call on Biden and the US Senate to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and stop Texas GOP attacks
— Representative Jasmine Crockett (@jasminefor100) May 31, 2021
News Round-Up: April 8, 2021

Some news items you might have missed:
• Kenneth-in-the-212: Kenneth’s weekly ‘Mask4Masc’ feature is a winner with all kinds of inspiration this week (plus more at the link).
• TVLine: NBC’s streaming platform Peacock has ordered a reboot of the landmark queer TV series Queer As Folk. Described as a “vibrant reimagining,” the new Queer as Folk will center on a diverse group of friends in New Orleans whose lives are transformed in the aftermath of a tragedy. The original QAF debuted on Britain’s Channel 4 in 1999 and ran for 10 episodes. The American version was created for Showtime and lasted five seasons (from 2000 to 2005).
• Axios: A new Gallup poll shows more Americans identify as Democrats by the largest margin since 2012. Per the recent survey, 49% say they support Democrats, 40% support the Republican Party and 11% say they are Independents with no partisan leaning.

• Instinct Magazine: Grammy-nominated singer Kehlani shared this past weekend during an Instagram Live chat that she identifies as a lesbian. “You want to know? You want to know what’s new about me? I finally know I’m a lesbian,” said the singer.
• Herald Leader: A southern state is actually making it easier to vote? Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) signed into law Wednesday a significant election reform bill that will make it easier for Kentuckians to vote early, bucking a national trend of more restrictive election laws in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
• The Gaily Grind: The office of embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz released a statement purportedly written by female staffers defending the pro-Trump lawmaker amid his ongoing sex trafficking scandal. Despite being signed by “The Women of the Office of U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz,” not a single woman is named in the statement.
• Instagram: Just a quick reminder that baseball is back – and I ain’t mad 🙂
MLB Announces All-Star Game Moved To Colorado
Major League Baseball has announced it will hold its annual All-Star Game in Denver, Colorado, after Georgia changed its voting laws in March which could potentially restrict voting access for people of color.
Of course, MLB has the right to hold its game anywhere it wants in an environment that it deems appropriate.
Denver will be new host of 2021 MLB All-Star Game after it was moved out of Atlanta https://t.co/m9YxIiYeyO
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) April 6, 2021
But Republicans are still mad at MLB for pulling its game from the Peach State, so they are now trying to compare Georgia’s new voting laws to those in Colorado.
One issue Repubs tried to press today was that Georgia now allows for 17 early voting days while Colorado has 15 early voting days. They also point to the idea that Colorado has a voter ID requirement as does Georgia.
Colorado mails every resident a ballot. Georgia does not. This comparison is designed to mislead.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 6, 2021
But… it’s not that simple.
Colorado’s voter ID law for in-person voting (sometimes referred to as “non-strict”) allows for a variety of IDs including ones without photos. If voters don’t have ID on them at the time of voting, they can cast a provisional ballot and elections officials are charged with verifying their eligibility.
But Georgia’s in-person ID requirement is a “strict” law, requiring photo ID. And if a voter doesn’t have one with them at the polls, they can cast a provisional ballot, but the voter has to show a photo ID at a county registrar’s office within three days.
More importantly, though, Colorado votes almost universally via mail-in ballot.
All registered voters there receive an absentee ballot and almost 99% of voters there cast their votes via mail. So, the in-person ID requirement – and the number of early in-person voting days – is practically moot since the vast majority of ballots are cast by mail.
Also, as White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted today when asked about the “comparisons” by Fox News’s Peter Doocy, Colorado allows citizens to register to vote on election days which Georgia does not.
PETER DOOCY: Is the WH concerned MLB is moving their All Star Game to Colorado, where voting rules are very similar to Georgia?
PSAKI: Let me refute that. CO has same-day registration, universal mail voting… it's important to remember the context. The GA bill is built on a lie pic.twitter.com/TaDLU0mYNP
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 6, 2021
I got an idea, Peter… let's get Georgia to pass identical voting laws as Colorado including mailing ballots to everyone and using a great absentee ballot program and then Georgia can get the game back.
— PCR RitesGood (@pcrritesgood) April 6, 2021
If Fox wants to do ambush questions, maybe they should have a smarter person asking them …. the setup for this one was more 5th grader then seasoned reporter in my opinion.
— homebody (@HomebodyRupe) April 6, 2021
What part of what GA did was necessary? What “fraud” did they fix? The bill is intended to drive down the number of votes. Why does anyone defend this charade?!?!?!? You can try and defend voter ID but the GA bill – as a whole – is intended to suppress the vote.
— Sean (@soonerwithamask) April 6, 2021
Colorado has more than 370 ballot drop boxes all over the state.
Colorado has same day registration and in person voting.
Colorado has 350 in person polling locations.
Denver metro area has a combined 180 drop of and in person locations.
— Lizerenity (@Lizerenity) April 6, 2021
Survey: 71% Of Republicans Oppose Making Voting Easy
According to a new survey by Pew Research Center, the number of Republicans who say “everything possible” should be done to make voting easy has dropped precipitously since 2018.
Of course, this comes after their candidate lost the 2020 presidential election thanks to record-breaking voter participation.
As a response, state legislatures have introduced over 360 voter restriction bills this year.
Many election experts say the new laws will disproportionately affect voters of color, as well as those with disabilities.
Georgia, whose close elections for president and U.S. Senate drew national attention, has already passed a bill that effectively suppresses the vote in the Peach State.
Some aspects of the Georgia law include reducing the time period voters have to request absentee ballots, limiting the use of ballot drop boxes, and making it illegal to hand out water to voters standing in line for hours.
Crunching the Pew Center’s data:
• 59% of U.S. adults overall say everything possible should be done to make it easy for every citizen to vote, while 39% say citizens should have to prove they want to vote by registering ahead of time.
• 85% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents say everything possible should be done to make it easy for every citizen to vote, while 14% say citizens should have to prove they really want to vote by registering ahead of time.
• 28% of Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents say everything possible should be done to make it easy for all citizens to vote, while 71% say American citizens should prove they really want to vote by registering ahead of time.
It’s worth noting that prior to the 2018 mid-term elections, 48% of Republicans said everything possible should be done to make it easy to vote, while 51% said citizens should have to prove they really want to vote by registering ahead of time. That shows a clear 20 point shift in Republican attitudes on voting in less than 3 years.
Broken down by race, 84% of Black adults and 69% of Hispanic adults say everything possible should be done to make it easy to vote, only 51% of white respondents said the same.
On the issue of election security:
• 61% of U.S. adults overall say it would not make elections less secure if election rules were changed to make it easier to register and vote.
• 82% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents say the same.
• 37% of Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents say the same.
MLB Pulls All-Star Game From Georgia Over Voting Law
Major League Baseball is making it known the organization is NOT having Georgia’s new voter suppression law.
From the New York Times:
In a firm rebuke of Georgia’s new elections law, Major League Baseball said Friday that it had abandoned its plan to play this summer’s All-Star Game in Atlanta.
The decision by the baseball commissioner, Rob Manfred, came after days of pressure from civil rights groups and the Major League Baseball Players Association.
In a statement, Manfred said that after conversations with teams, players, former stars and players union officials he had concluded that “the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.”
MLB announces that 2021 All-Star Game will not be played in Atlanta: pic.twitter.com/tVxhCP3mbN
— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) April 2, 2021
Earlier this week, President Biden voiced his support for MLB moving the midsummer showcase in light of the new voting law’s disproportionate impact on people of color.