A law to ban private donations to local election agencies goes into effect September 1, 2021. Just before Gov. Abbott signed the bill, Harris County Commissioners voted to accept a $1 million private donation from Houston Endowment.

Opponents of the practice — made most famous by Mark Zuckerberg’s $36 million in donations to blue Texas counties — believe that it allows private individuals to circumvent state voting laws and effectively buy elections. Proponents say it’s the right of private citizens to donate where they believe they can have the most impact. They argue that the money will benefit underserved communities by increasing access to voting.