Texas Democratic Party: Moving Texas Forward

Austin—Texas Democratic Party spokesperson Rebecca Acuña issued the following statement in response to General Abbott’s suit on the Texas Voter ID law:

“Abbott’s wasting tax dollars to inquire whether the Voter ID law is discriminatory in intent or just in effect, as if it made any difference to the people being discriminated.

General Abbott knows in-person voter fraud doesn’t exist. He already cost Texas taxpayers $1.4 million on a wild goose chase that turned up no cases of voter impersonation. Our question to General Abbott is, if there are no cases of voter impersonation, then what exactly is this legislation’s purpose? The absolute intent of this law is to disenfranchise voters.

General Abbott admits that the Republican voter-ID law would have a disparate impact on minorities, he just doesn’t care.* ”

According to the Secretary of State’s own data, more than 600,000 Texans who are currently registered to vote, including 174,866 Texans with Spanish surnames, don’t have the identification necessary under this draconian measure.

From Abbott’s complaint:

• *Page 14, #34 of the brief: “Extending “retrogressive effects” analysis to Voter-ID laws, by denying preclearance to any voter requirement that has an unintended disparate impact on minority voters, would present serious constitutional questions.”