“Election integrity.”
That’s the Orwellian catchphrase Republican politicians keep spouting as they push regressive voting restrictions in almost every state in the nation.
Here’s the thing:
- Our elections already had integrity. Actual instances of election fraud are so rare as to be immaterial.
- With one glaring exception, of course — Donald Trump’s Big Lie that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him and subsequent attacks on voting rights by Republican governors and legislators all across America.
- Republicans latched on to the Big Lie so they could whine about “election integrity” and force through hundreds of *unnecessary* voting restrictions all across the country.
- These racist, undemocratic laws are very intentionally designed to make it harder for people of color, low-income people, younger voters, immigrants, seniors, and other marginalized Americans to exercise their right to vote.
- Republicans know that their positions on countless policy issues are so unpopular with the American people (of all political persuasions) that they can’t retain a grip on power unless they basically cheat.
Yesterday, the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature passed its own voter suppression bill (Democrats stalled the bill as long as they could, including by fleeing the state back in July).
The aggressively racist and undemocratic legislation — which could hardly do more to erode the integrity of elections in Texas — now awaits the signature of Trumpist Governor Greg Abbott.
I know it’s a Lone Star Long Shot, but let’s at least *try* to see if we can get Abbott to save himself from infamy.
Tell Texas Governor Greg Abbott:
Since our elections already had integrity, the only reason for anyone to claim they don’t is if they’re up to no good. As an elected official — as an American — you should be doing everything in your power to make it *easier* for people to vote, not endorsing racist, undemocratic, and unnecessary voting restrictions. If you sign these voting restrictions into law, you will go down in history as an enemy of democracy. It is not too late to do the right thing. Put the pen back in your pocket. Do not sign the bill.
Add your name.
Thanks for taking action.
For democracy,
- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen
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