In a statement on Saturday, President Biden called the proposed bill, along with similar measures in Georgia and Florida, “an attack on democracy” that disproportionately targeted “black and brown Americans”. He called on lawmakers to resolve the problem by passing democratic voting laws pending in Congress.
“It’s wrong and un-American,” said Mr. Biden. “In the 21st century, we should make it easier, not harder, for everyone eligible to vote to vote.”
Republican lawmakers have often cited voter concerns about electoral fraud – fears fueled by Trump, other Republicans, and the conservative media – to justify new election restrictions, despite no evidence of widespread fraud in the recent American election.
And in their campaign, Republicans have overcome objections from Democrats, constituencies, and big corporations. Companies like American Airlines, Dell Technologies and Microsoft spoke out against Texan law soon after the law was passed, but the pressure has so far been largely ineffective.
The final 67-page bill, known as SB 7, turned out to be the amalgamation of two bulk votes that had worked their way through state legislation. It contained many of the provisions originally put in place by the Republicans, but lawmakers dropped some of the strictest, such as an ordinance on the allocation of voting machines that would have closed polling stations in color communities, and a measure that would have allowed partisan election observers to record the voting process on video.
However, the bill contains a provision that could make it easier to overthrow an election. Texas electoral law found that reversing election results due to fraud allegations required evidence that illegal votes had indeed resulted in an illegitimate victory. If the bill is passed, the number of fraudulent votes required to do so should simply be equal to the difference in the winning votes. It wouldn’t matter who the fraudulent votes were cast for.
Democrats and constituencies were quick to condemn the bill.
“SB 7 is a ruthless law,” said Sarah Labowitz, director of politics and advocacy for the American Civil Liberties Union in Texas. “It is aimed at color voters and voters with disabilities in a state that is already the most difficult voting place in the country.”
