Introduction
Voter suppression has been practiced at various points in U.S. history as a political strategy designed to achieve malicious goals. Voter rights in America and voter suppression in the South are related to political science because they involve the use of political processes to violate civil rights. Voter suppression is defined as a legal or extralegal act designed to bar members of a specific ethnic, racial, religious, or political group from voting or registering to vote (Duignan, 2021). Duignan, (2021) presents an article that highlights the history of voter suppression in the United States. These views are supported by Harris (2022), whose article explains the ways in which Texas is suppressing the right to vote. Finally, the article by Slattery (2021) explains the ways in which Senate Bill 1 is a continuation of the tradition of voter suppression in Texas. The passage of restrictive voting laws threatens the gains the United States has made with regard to the protection of the rights of minorities and people with disability.
The American South
The waning of Northern support for government intervention in the South contributed immensely to the explosion of voter suppression. Numerous Supreme Court rulings in the 1870s eroded Reconstruction-era gains, which allowed white Democrats to regain control of most Southern states by 1876 (Duignan, 2021). The Democrat-controlled states subsequently passed laws that facilitated the disenfranchisement of a majority of African-American voters through the imposition of an inhumane system of racial segregation. The voter suppression tactics that were applied included intimidation, poll taxes, extreme violence, and literacy tests that were not applied to white voters (Duignan, 2021). The Jim Crow era would erode minority rights until the mid-20th century, leaving entire generations of Americans scarred and marginalized.
Effect on Texas Minorities and Disabled Voters
The newly passed Texas law disproportionately impacts minorities and people of color. For instance, the prohibition of drive-through and extended-hours voting programs significantly affects people of color (Slattery, 2021). A survey by the Texas Civil Rights Project demonstrated that while the state’s minorities constitute 38% of early voters, they make up 53% of the drive-through and 56% of late-night voters (Slattery, 2021). The state’s strict voter ID requirements also prohibit voting among minorities in the region. The new law also empowers partisan poll watchers, who are likely to abuse the provisions by intimidating minority voters.
Disabled voters are adversely affected by prohibitive Texas voting laws. For instance, all voters are expected to register at least 30 days before polling day, and applications must be mailed or handed in, which is particularly challenging for disabled individuals (Harris, 2022). The new law also restricts voting by mail for individuals with disabilities, forcing the affected individuals to vote in person in long queues.
The Senate Bill 1
The Texas Legislature has been hard at work to pass legislation aimed at taming the apparent indiscipline in Texas elections. The result is Senate Bill 1, which is perhaps the most restrictive piece of voter legislation passed in 2021(Slattery, 2021). In addition to the restrictions highlighted above, Senate Bill 1 imposes more barriers to voting. For instance, it limits voter assistance during polling, which contravenes the federal Voting Rights Act that outlines how voters who speak limited English or those with disabilities can access assistance on poll day (Harris, 2022). The increasing diversity in Texas, in addition to a longstanding history of voter suppression, is thought to have contributed to the passage of Senate Bill 1.
Conclusion
The passage of restrictive voting laws in Texas is a threat to the milestones achieved by the United States with regard to the protection of the rights of minorities and people with disabilities. The target audience for this argument is Governor Gregg Abbott and his legislation. The main challenge associated with supporting this argument with this audience is limited access to the individuals involved. As a future civil rights lawyer, the goal of this argument is to ensure that efforts are directed toward the elimination of restrictive practices in Texas elections.
References
Duignan, B. (2021). Voter suppression: Election strategy. Britannica. Web.
Harris, A. (2022). 5 ways Texas suppresses the vote — And how to make your vote count. ACLU-Texas. Web.
Slattery, J. (2021). Texas voting law is just the latest in voter suppression efforts. Bloomberg Law. Web.