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On Wednesday, officials in Travis County, Texas, filed lawsuits against the state’s Attorney General Ken Paxton and Secretary of State Jane Nelson over alleged attempts to block voter registration efforts ahead of the November presidential election.
Background of this News
A new federal lawsuit has intensified the ongoing battle between Republican state officials and Democratic leaders in Texas over voter registration. This lawsuit accuses Texas officials of violating the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The conflict is heating up as the October 7 registration deadline approaches.
Travis County’s Response
Travis County, which includes Austin and is known for its Democratic leanings, is at the center of this dispute. Travis County Attorney Delia Garza said on Tuesday, “Today, Travis County, once again, fights back.” The county is challenging efforts by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to stop them from mailing voter registration applications to eligible but unregistered voters.
The Legal Dispute
The federal lawsuit follows Paxton’s attempt in state courts to prevent Travis County from sending these registration applications. Paxton argues that the Texas Election Code does not allow county officials to collect private information for voter registration, making these actions illegal. This interpretation of the law is disputed by Democrats, local leaders, and election experts.
Paxton’s Accusations
In addition to the lawsuit, Paxton has made claims in interviews and on social media, accusing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris of allowing undocumented immigrants into the U.S. to increase Democratic votes. Former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s 2024 presidential nominee, has echoed similar claims, including during a recent debate with Harris.
Paxton’s Statement
Paxton has criticized Travis County for allegedly using partisan methods to find unregistered voters. He stated earlier this month, “Travis County has blatantly violated Texas law by paying partisan actors to conduct unlawful identification efforts. Programs like this invite fraud and reduce public trust in our elections. We will stop them and any other county considering such programs.”
Response from Travis County
Jeremy Smith, head of Civic Government Solutions, a company hired by Travis County to help identify unregistered voters, denied the use of partisan tactics. Smith said, “All of our contracts, 100% of them, are nonpartisan. It is written in. We are under restrictions and obligations to prove that and maintain that and provide that data for accountability back to all of our clients.”
Legal Proceedings against convict
The new federal lawsuit moves the dispute to federal court, where Travis County officials are seeking permission to continue their voter registration efforts. This filing comes shortly after a judge denied Paxton’s request to block Bexar County, another Democratic stronghold, from sending out registration forms. The court ruled there was no reason to stop Bexar County as they had already mailed the applications.
