House Elections Committee
April 8, 2021
Testimony of Stephanie Gómez
on behalf of Common Cause Texas
in Opposition to House Bill 1026
Common Cause is a national, nonpartisan advocacy organization that works on a broad range of voting rights and democracy issues, with over 50,000 members across Texas.
HB 1026 is one of many voter suppression bills that are attacking our democracy, our freedom, and our shared values of fairness and equity, and our right to active participation in our democratic processes. If enacted, the negative consequences of this policy will be felt by all Texans, but the most negative impact will be felt by Black and brown voters, first-time voters, and naturalized citizen voters.
The bill in its entirety is alarming. HB 1026 seeks to consolidate powers to the Secretary of State over all election matters, but among its most concerning provisions are Section 4, Section 12, and Section 15.
Section 4 would require the Secretary of State to verify the citizenship status of a voter through the Department of Public Safety. Section 12 would require persons who submit a voter registration application to concurrently provide proof of citizenship through an unexpired passport, a copy of a birth certificate, or citizenship papers – placing an unnecessary burden on voters that will likely disenfranchise many eligible citizens. These sensitive documents are not easily accessible to many Americans. It is unlikely they are carried with the voter or are stored in safe boxes far from a current residence. Passports and other official documents providing citizenship are expensive and time consuming to obtain. And most importantly, citizenship status verification with DPS data and proof of citizenship requirements are an invitation to discriminate against naturalized citizens, who are highly likely to have been documented as noncitizens in outdated data.
Section 15 repeals existing code provisions that authorize deputy volunteer registrars and high school deputy registrars. This is a cause for concern, considering that volunteer deputy registrars are an essential part of our democratic processes. Volunteer deputy registrars are dedicated members of Texas’ communities who meet the people where they are and dedicate their time and resources into registering eligible Texans to vote. Volunteer deputy registrars are critical to voter registration organizations, like MOVE Texas and Texas Rising, that are dedicated to working to increase voter registration and turnout among young Texas of color – it was in fact their dedicated efforts that led to Texas’ record-breaking turnout in the most recent general election.
Further, Section 15 would eliminate Texas’ popular and unique high school voter registration program, born out of a 1985 law in Texas that requires every public and private high school in the state to distribute voter registration applications to eligible students at least twice a year. Voter registration groups and grassroots leaders have worked across Texas to support high schools in their efforts to not just comply with the law but provide Texas’ students with the information they need to be active members of our democracy. Since ramping up efforts to increase awareness with the law, compliance has more than doubled across Texas, positioning our state to lead the nation in youth voter turnout. Further, the Generation Z population, the demographic cohort of individuals who were born in the mid- 1990s to 2010, makes up the most diverse generation in Texas. Failure to support these students as they begin the right of passage of becoming civically engaged members of our society continues the imposed cycle of lower voter registration, turnout and democratic participation by people of color. Eliminating the provisions in the Texas Election Code that would eliminate the high school voter registration program, you are not only making it harder for eligible young Texans to vote, but actively working to set our state backwards.
Texas is a young and bright state, with innovative leaders and a unique opportunity to support its communities in democratic participation. The partisan backlash against measures to increase civic participation amongst Texans, but especially voters from historically marginalized communities, is unsettling. What benefits Texans is an involved, informed, and active democracy. HB 1026 is not only misaligned with the best interests of our state, but it actively competes with democratic values. For the reasons outlined in this testimony, we urge you to oppose HB 1026.