Texas Republicans are pressing ahead with their push to restrict voting options after Democrats' weekend walkout stopped one of the nation's most aggressive efforts to limit voting.
to limit voting rules, known as Senate Bill 7, would reduce polling hours, empower partisan poll watchers and limit voting options. It includes a ban on drive-through voting centers and 24-hour polling places, both of which were used last year around Houston, reflecting how Republicans went after Texas’ largest Democratic stronghold.
Some Democrats suggested they would allow a vote on the elections legislation if it more closely resembled the earlier version and included some bipartisan input. Democrats had voted against that as well, but had not staged the protest. “That’s one of the things I look forward to ... fixing the most. Call it a scrivener’s error, whatever you want to,” Clardy said.
It the new bill is not acceptable to Democrats — and they were to walk out again — Republicans don’t have to stand pat. State troopers could be mobilized to try to forcibly bring lawmakers back to the House, as was the case in 2003, when Texas Democrats fled to Oklahoma and New Mexico to try and block new voting maps.Whitmire, who was first elected to the Texas Legislature in 1973, spent 36 days holed up in a hotel before breaking ranks with his fellow Democrats and returning home.
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