Hi Friend,

My name is Beth Kloser, NextGen’s Texas State Director, and I’d like to tell you about the voting rights crisis that is happening in my state.

This summer, Texas House Democrats brought national attention to the ongoing assault on our democracy that’s been waged by our Republican lawmakers. By walking out of a special legislative session, House Democrats temporarily blocked passage of a slew of new voter-suppression laws.

In response to this act of protest, the GOP-controlled Texas legislature moved aggressively to pass racist, anti-youth, and undemocratic voting measures in Senate Bill 1. Earlier this week, Governor Greg Abbott signed this shameful bill into law, adding to the laundry list of voter-suppression tactics he’s so flagrantly supported throughout his tenure.

SB 1 bans 24-hour voting and drive-thru voting, both of which were crucial during the pandemic. It severely restricts voting by mail, denying the option entirely for young voters. Further, SB 1 increases protection and autonomy for partisan poll watchers who will inevitably use their newfound authority to intimidate voters.

These actions by Republican politicians present a real and urgent threat to our voting rights. However, the most alarming fact about this voting rights crisis is that Texas is not the only target.

Fight back: Urge your senators to abolish the filibuster and finally pass national voting protections with the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

If passed, this transformative bill would require states with a history of racist voting rights violations to submit their electoral rules for federal approval before roll out — effectively stopping targeted voter suppression efforts before they even start. The John Lewis Voting Rights Act would also reverse a number of Supreme Court rulings that uphold discriminatory disenfranchisement practices.

This is a crucial opportunity for Senate Democrats to cement necessary voter protections at the federal level, but it won’t happen without first abolishing the arbitrary, obstructive filibuster rule.

Right now, Senate Democrats have the votes to reform the filibuster and pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act — the question is, do they have the courage?

Urge your senators to meet the moment, heed the calls from voting rights advocates in Texas and beyond, and finally pass federal voting protections.

Thanks for your time,

Beth Kloser
Texas State Director
NextGen America