By: Alyssa Wilson
Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill into law restricting access to voting in the state of Texas.
BREAKING | Texas Governor Greg Abbott is set to sign a restrictive voting bill. Watch #BNCLive for updates: https://t.co/mpKQ1GrIAn pic.twitter.com/1ZhsreyWBs
— BNC (@BNCNews) September 7, 2021
The bill bans drive-thru voting, adds limits to early voting, bans drop boxes for mail-in ballots, adds new hurdles to the vote-by-mail process and gives new protections to partisan poll watchers.
RELATED: Texas Senate Passes Bill Banning Educators From Teaching KKK as ‘Morally Wrong’
Abbott, like many other Republican legislators, began making it more difficult to vote after former President Donald Trump alleged the 2020 Presidential election was stolen. Other states, including Republican-led Georgia and Florida, have enacted similar bills restricting voting access.
State Democrats enacted a plan to block the bill and fled the state for weeks in order to prevent a voting quorum in May. Abbot was then forced to call two special sessions to get the bill to pass, CNN reported.
Abbott touted the greatness of the bill during the signing on Tuesday, saying, “We must have trust and confidence in our elections. This bill that I’m about to sign helps to achieve that goal.” He also said the state gives people enough time to vote with early voting while comparing the bill to policies in President Biden’s home state of Delaware.
RELATED: Texas Democrats Return to State, Restrictive Voting Bill Passage Nears
According to The Hill, Abbott’s approval rating is dropping as Texans say the state is on the “wrong track.” In addition to the restrictive voter bill, Abbot has also banned mask mandates against COVID-19, despite testing positive for COVID himself. The state also passed the most restrictive anti-abortion legislation in the country.
White Su·prem·a·cy
/ noun /
Definition of white supremacy:
the belief that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races
Pictured: Greg Abbott signing voter suppression into law today pic.twitter.com/GyRLu6mvtm
— Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) September 7, 2021
Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP, tweeted about the signing, calling it white supremacy. He also said, “Governor Greg Abbot has intentionally signed away democracy for so many. We are disgusted. This voter suppression bill is undemocratic, unamerican and even violates core conservative principles.”
Black votes were suppressed today. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has intentionally signed away democracy for so many. We are disgusted. This voter suppression bill is undemocratic, unamerican and even violates core conservative principles. (1/2)
— Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) September 7, 2021
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