FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2024
Contact: Emma Bittner
(972) 510-3395 | Emma.Bittner@younginvincibles.org
Texas Removes Over One Million Voters From State’s Voter Rolls
(Austin, TX) – Monday, Governor Greg Abbott announced that over one million “ineligible voters” have been removed from the state’s voter rolls. This is a direct result of Senate Bill 1 which was signed into law in 2021 as one of the most restrictive election laws in the country. Nearly 500,000 voters removed were from the suspense list, which voters could be placed on as a result of moving and failing to update their address.
Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) was part of a trio of bills, including Senate Bill 1113 and House Bill 574, signed into law that restricted voting access and used threatening language as a scare tactic. Voting is a right and part of our civic duty. Rather than placing barriers making it harder for voters to cast their ballot, it is critical to ensure voting is easily accessible and available.
Young Invincibles is dedicated to ensuring young people have access to voting and are knowledgeable about what is on the ballot. It is strongly encouraged that voters double check that they are registered to vote. You can check your voter registration status here.
In response, Aurora Harris, Senior Director of Regional Strategy at Young Invincibles said:
“Everyone should have a voice in our elections and the opportunity to cast their vote. Young people and students often face unique barriers to voting, especially as many are navigating the voting system for the first time or facing other structural and economic barriers. SB 1, one of the strictest election laws in the country, has resulted in over one million voters being unregistered to vote for unclear reasons. This is just the beginning of the ramifications from restrictive election legislation. Young people are consistently dismissed and written off as apathetic as a result of the myth of low turnout, while the real issue is barriers such as this that prevent young people from the polls.
Democracy functions best when all eligible voters, including young people and those from traditionally underrepresented communities, can fully participate in the process. Texas has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country and is deliberately putting barriers in place to prevent people from voting. Removing a million people from the voter rolls so close to an election based on unclear criteria should be considered a calculated act of suppression. We must continue to dismantle these barriers and call out suppression to ensure young adults have every opportunity to participate in democracy.”
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Young Invincibles (YI) is a national advocacy and policy nonprofit organization focused on amplifying the voice of young people in the political process at the local, state, and federal levels. YI focuses on issues impacting young adults ages 18 to 34 in higher education, health care, economic security, and civic engagement. Our offices include Washington, D.C., California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas. For more information, please contact Emma Bittner at (972) 510-3395 or emma.bittner@younginvincibles.org