Texas has fallen under scrutiny after being accused of practicing voter suppression, but similar voting laws in Connecticut indicate the commonality in state guidelines across the country.
Despite claims of excessive restriction, select sources have highlighted a lack of effort on the Democratic parties’ behalves to make modifications.
“Democrats who have won election after election in states such as New York, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island have had little incentive to change the rules that helped them win,” The Atlantic noted.
According to the Hartford Courant, Connecticut has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country, including no early in-person voting, extremely limited absentee voting and no voting for incarcerated individuals or those on parole. The state is among several others in the Northeast that limits the time in which opponents can rally a base through policies that prevent most early voting.
The regulations have been said to be harsh in comparison to those passed by Georgia, Connecticut Post opinion writer Monte Frank said, only creating no-excuse absentee voting amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Texas laws require a physical ID to vote, as well as proof of residency in the voter's respective county, a registration certificate and proof of citizenship status, among various other points.
President Joseph Biden is among numerous officials who criticize current Texas voting laws, pleading with Congress to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to prohibit such restrictions. In an official White House statement release, he noted that Texas election reform efforts were “wrong and un-American,” adding that the state’s election laws were an “assault on democracy” and that they were “disproportionately targeting black and brown Americans.”
According to The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, the proposed Texas election integrity law has been reintroduced for consideration in a 30-day summer special session and will promote the same reforms as its previous iteration, state bill TX SB7. However, complications were added to the task by Texas House Democrats, who have allowed the denial of a Texas House a quorum to prevent the majority holding Texas Republicans from passing voting legislation. The legislators are obligated to remain outside of the state during a 30-day session requested by Gov. Greg Abbott to prevent the passage of legislation.
If passed, TX SB7 would offer two weeks of early voting, prevent 24-hour voting and drive-thru voting, and require a state ID. Under the new legislation, voter fraud penalty determinations would change from “beyond a reasonable doubt” to “by a preponderance of the evidence.” Though many voters would benefit from the state’s decision to loosen voting restrictions, 79% of respondents believe voters should be required to show government-issued photo identification whenever they vote, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll of 1,115 national adults.