Texas Senate Initially Approves Straight-Ticket Voting Ban

AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Senate gave initial approval on Wednesday to legislation aimed at eliminating straight-ticket voting in elections.

House Bill 25 passed by a 20-10 vote despite protests from Democrats who complained the measure would have a disproportionate impact on minority voters, the Texas Tribune reported. Straight-ticket voting allows constituents to cast their ballot for every candidate from a single political party, a practice that accounted for nearly 64 percent of total votes cast in the state's 10 largest counties last year.

"Frankly, I don’t see any purpose for this legislation other than trying to dilute the vote of Democrats and, more specifically, minorities," state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, was quoted by the Tribune as saying.

Supporters of the bill view it differently, saying it would compel voters to make more informed decisions in elections. "What we're doing is showing every race matters," Republican state Sen. Kelly Hancock, a Republican from North Richland Hills who was the bill's Senate sponsor, said Wednesday.

Republican backers of the bill also noted the ban on straight-ticket voting would put it in line with some 40 other states prohibiting the practice.

"We considered all voters," Hancock said when questioned about the possibility of a detrimental impact on the minority vote, as the Tribune reproted. "We considered every voter."

A final Senate vote on HB 25 is expected Thursday.

>>> Read the full story at Texas Tribune

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