Thread by @TXCivilRights

Our own @jcslattery is about to testify against the anti-voter #HB6 (after many, many hours)! We'll cover his testimony here, but feel free to watch with us too: tlchouse.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.ph…

“Texas in 2020 was the hardest place to vote in the entire country: we have no online voter registration, only a few discrete groups of Texans can vote by mail, and 750 polling places were closed between 2013 and 2019, predominantly in communities of color.” @jcslattery #TXlege

#HB6 would mean that “statements by public officials about the mere existence of vote-by-mail, or explanations about how to apply for and cast a mail ballot, could be interpreted as efforts to encourage (and therefore solicit) people to vote by mail.” @jcslattery #txlege

Just so we're clear, y'all: #HB6 puts a gag rule on even TALKING about vote-by-mail. #TXDeservesBetter #TXlege

“Because the right to vote is only meaningful if voters have information on how to exercise it, these draconian restrictions [in #HB6] threaten to make vote-by-mail a dead letter in Texas.” @jcslattery #TXDeservesBetter #TXlege

(We want to pause our coverage of the #TXlege hearing on #HB6 to point out @jcslattery’s unintentional “dead letter” pun.📬 We love vote-by-mail...and puns) Okay, back to the hearing:

“This bill would give ‘priority treatment’ + ‘absolute preference’ to certain election cases filed within 60 days of an election. This new fast track comes w/ no explicit safety valve to give priority to cases that involve literal life & death during the pre-election period…”

“Politicians in power shouldn't be able to restrict voting based on conspiracy theories that they have created and spread for their own political gain. We're honored to stand alongside our fellow Texans from across the state today in testifying against this disgrace of a bill."

.@BucyForTexas asks @jcslattery what would actually make elections more secure. Answer: online voter registration and an online tracker for vote-by-mail ballots. (Note: 45 states have a VBM tracker) #TXDeservesBetter #txlege

"Texas has long been a multi-racial state but has never been a multi-racial democracy. People of color have been excluded from that in Texas...through poll taxes, white primaries, voter ID laws, property qualifications... #HB6 echoes this history."

Regarding our record turnout still being among the lowest in the nation: "The voter turnout number is not the end of the story- it doesn't tell you how difficult it was to get there."

When @jcslattery is asked if there's any scenario where a poll watcher would be needed:

"No."

Simple as that. 💯

James is speaking to how #HB6 would take power away from election judges to remove poll watchers from the premises if they act inappropriately.

.@ForHD65 reading Microsoft's statement coming out against #HB6 now. Microsoft supports more access to absentee ballots/voting by mail, and is concerned about criminalizing innocent voting mistakes.

.@jcslattery points out how the committee has not enforced the mask rules, forcing Chair Cain to remind the audience to mask up.

(About time)