Bullock Texas State History Museum
Policy Matters
RECEIVED Thu., June 17, 2021
Dear Editor,
At the federal level, the For the People Act is in peril due to Senator Manchin’s opposition. At the state level, despite heroic resistance, a voter suppression bill seems likely to pass in a special session.
The best response is to launch a countywide campaign for voter access. There’s more we could be doing here in Travis County to fight back, following the lead of Harris County’s nationally recognized expansion of voting access in 2020.
Let’s increase outreach to underserved communities, raise the poll worker wage to $15/hour, expand the student election clerk program, and build a countywide elections app. Why not have an app on every Travis County voter’s phone that sends a notification when it’s time to go vote? Why shouldn’t Travis County become known as the No. 1 place in Texas for voting rights? Policy matters — let’s get it right at the county level.
At the federal level, the For the People Act is in peril due to Senator Manchin’s opposition. At the state level, despite heroic resistance, a voter suppression bill seems likely to pass in a special session.
The best response is to launch a countywide campaign for voter access. There’s more we could be doing here in Travis County to fight back, following the lead of Harris County’s nationally recognized expansion of voting access in 2020.
Let’s increase outreach to underserved communities, raise the poll worker wage to $15/hour, expand the student election clerk program, and build a countywide elections app. Why not have an app on every Travis County voter’s phone that sends a notification when it’s time to go vote? Why shouldn’t Travis County become known as the No. 1 place in Texas for voting rights? Policy matters — let’s get it right at the county level.
Kurt Lockhart is a proud volunteer deputy registrar, poll worker, and candidate for the Democratic nomination for Travis County Clerk
