Advocacy Groups Reach Out to Texas Business Community to Support Voting Rights
The League of Women Voters of Texas, the Texas NAACP, and the Texas LULAC are partnering to safeguard voting rights in Texas. They are reaching out to Texas business leaders who believe every American citizen should have a voice in our democracy to join other corporate leaders around the country in supporting safe and accessible voting in Texas.
In the wake of the extraordinary voter suppression legislation that passed in Georgia, business leaders have come forward to support safe and accessible voting for all citizens. One hundred and eighty-six companies signed on to the Civic Associations Joint Statement on Protecting Voter Access.
“The bills introduced in Texas Legislature come from the same playbook as the bills passed in Georgia,” said, Rodolfo Rosales, Jr. Texas State Director of LULAC. “Lawsuits have already been filed in Georgia because these bills target the voting rights of people of color, in violation of the US Constitution and the Voting Rights Act. We need to stop these bills before they are passed in Texas.”
“In the 2020 elections, a record number of Texans overcame the challenges of voting in a pandemic. Our courageous county election officials and poll workers provided a safe and secure election. The Secretary of State’s office justifiably brags about the successful election execution. Governor Abbott provided measures that expanded the early voting period and a more sensible method to return absentee ballots,” stated Grace Chimene, president of the League of Women Voters of Texas.
Gary Bledsoe, President of the Texas NAACP, explained, “There is absolutely no need for any new bill to address voter integrity. The current law adequately covers any scenario that has been put forth by supporters of the new bills. What the new bills do is give poll watchers, who have a history of acting like vigilantes when they come to our polling places, the authority to disregard election officials and take over minority polling sites.
“It creates so many new vague and overbroad criminal laws that it sends a signal that we don’t want you to vote. It intimidates people from helping others, and they overrule the Texas Supreme Court compromise decision on eligibility for a mail-in ballot. Sadly, they even criminalize innocent acts such as nursing home residents giving a Starbucks card to an employee for dropping their mail-in ballot in the mail.”
Bledsoe continued, “These new laws are so extreme that even in the Age of Racism in the 1930s, the Legislators would have given pause to introducing such overreaching legislation. They amount to an attempt to rewrite our Constitution and permit individuals under the control of one party to remove local control over its election and prosecutorial apparatuses. It is just earth-shaking.”
Two bills, in particular, SB 7 and HB 6, are unjustifiable and moving forward very quickly without adequate public input or review. These two high-priority bills further restrict voter registration, target local election officials and workers with possible fines and imprisonment, increase the burdens on voters with disabilities, and implement new opportunities for poll-watching overreach and intimidation.
“We have created a task force to help generate business support to help us save our democracy,” said Bledsoe. Chimene stated, “It is important that the State know corporate, business and industry leaders agree with us so that is why we have put together the Task Force.” Rosales added, “We have the intention of expanding our Task Force to include more business leaders of both political parties.” All three grassroots leaders commended Republican Representative Lyle Larson for coming to grips with the regressive nature of the legislation and taking a political risk in doing so, agreeing that this was an act of statesmanship.
The Task Force includes Sam Stolbun, CEO of the Stolbun Group, and research, development, and production of Twin Star Bakeries. Laurie Vignaud is the President of Unity Bank in Houston. Margaret Potter of Camillo Properties and Camillo Legacy Capital is also a member of the Task Force as well as Glenn Lewis, a partner in Linebarger, Goggan, and Blair in Fort Worth.
“If you would like to join the task force, visit Democracy is Good for Business. Questions about this initiative may be directed to the League of Women Voters of Texas office at lwvtexas@lwvtexas.org or 512.472.1100,” said Chimene. Bledsoe added, “We hope everyone joins our honor roll of businesses that support democracy.” Rosales noted, “We are already hearing so much positive feedback from those who know what we have been doing the last two weeks that it is indeed heartening.”
LULAC, NAACP, and the League of Women Voters are all non-partisan volunteer-driven grassroots voting and civil rights legacy organizations.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), founded in 1929, is the oldest and most widely respected Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States of America. LULAC was created at a time in our country’s history when Hispanics were denied basic civil and human rights, despite contributions to American society. The founders of LULAC created an organization that empowers its members to create and develop opportunities where they are needed most.
With more than local 100 units in Texas, the Texas NAACP is a nonprofit affiliate of the National NAACP is committed to fighting unjust discrimination and eliminating unwarranted color distinctions in our society. Founded in 1909 nationally and 1915 in Texas, the Texas NAACP has a broad and diverse membership.
The League of Women Voters is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit organizations. Formed in 1919, LWVTX represents more than 13,000 grassroots advocates and 34 local Leagues across the state. The League never supports or opposes candidates for office or political parties. The League encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and seeks to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Membership is open to people 16 years and older or all gender identities
