Voting rights in Texas were recently discussed among state representatives at a U.S. House committee meeting on July 29, after recent debates between Texas lawmakers, Gov. Greg Abbott and constituents.
Forbes Breaking News recently released the recording of the House Oversight Committee meeting in which U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) questioned Texas state Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) about the common uses of identification cards, part of a nationwide debate of whether IDs should be used in the voting process. Mace and Thompson agreed that identification cards are necessary to buy alcohol and cigarettes, apply for a job, pick up prescription medications, receive Social Security, rent an apartment, purchase a house, hold a mortgage, fly in an airplane and open a bank account.
Mace then shifted to the topic of black voter suppression in Texas. Through their dialogue, Mace established that 70% of black Texans are registered to vote and 64% voted in 2020.
Mace also noted that 72% of white Texans are registered to vote and 65% voted in November.
Mace also stated that Texas had the 10th best black voter turnout of any state in the nation, despite Thompson’s arguments of widespread black voter suppression in the Lone Star State. Figures show that 77% of voters, including 92% of Republicans, 75% of independents and 63% of Democrats, support mandatory voter ID.
Also, 64% of black voters, 77% of Hispanics and 76% of low-income voters disagree with the idea that presenting a form of ID at the ballot box is a “burden," according to the Honest Elections Project.
Thompson was one of the Democrats who left Texas earlier this summer in order to block a Republican-backed election integrity measure, Real Clear Politics reports.
"You're damn right I left Texas and I'm glad I did," Thompson said in a statement. "And you know why I left Texas? To give my people a right to be able to vote without them being infringed upon."
Meanwhile, 54% of Texans oppose legislators staging walkouts, according to a poll from the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Foundation spokesman Brian Phillips said “Most Texans see it as a childish and desperate move, and they don’t like temper tantrums."
