In Texas, a fresh bill has been introduced to outlaw polling places at colleges and institutions. Last week, the bill was submitted by Republican Texas Rep. Carrie Isaac of Hays County, which is located south of Austin. The bill’s opponents see it as a significant defeat.
In Texas, students have been battling for their right to vote and access to fair polling places for forty years now, according to Katya Ehresman, the manager of Common Cause Texas’ voting rights program.
Students Are Against This Law
Several students claim that if voting locations are prohibited on college campuses, they may find it difficult to cast their ballots since they will have to go farther, which is not always convenient.
Harley Hensley, a student at the University of Texas, remarked, “Personally, I don’t have a car with me right now.”
Because he wasn’t completely informed about all the candidates, Hensley claimed he was unable to cast a ballot in the last election. He was also preoccupied with his demanding educational schedule.
I just felt like I needed to be doing more essential stuff, like my education, he continued.
In the event that the law is passed, Hensley’s odds of being unable to vote in the upcoming election would be substantially smaller. It might have an impact on efforts to turn out young voters.
Hensley stated, “We’re going to be the ones making those types of policy judgments.” “For the sake of a better future, we are the ones learning. Hence, it is plainly crucial for the majority of us to cast our votes in order to elect someone who shares our views or who we believe will improve the world.”
Every college student, according to Ehresman, should have the opportunity to vote, particularly given this large and increasing voting group. If this contentious legislation is approved, it will take effect on September 1, 2023. Ehresman asserted that her organization won’t give up easily and would continue to support college students as it has in the past.
During several election cycles, she continued, “we have worked with partners to ensure that buses are delivering students to the polling places.” Students can also feel secure knowing that many groups will support the State if this new effort and barrier are successful.
The Texas Tribune published a story about additional challenges faced by college students last year. State restrictions governing voter ID and registration have made it more difficult to turn out young voters, and many Texas institutions lack early voting sites on campus.
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