AUSTIN— Tomorrow, Saturday, May 20, Texas lawmakers are scheduled to have their final votes on election-related bills that would greenlight state takeovers of local election offices and set Texas on a path to leave ERIC, the Electronic Registration Information Center that many states use to maintain their voter lists. 

The Saturday session comes during the final stretch of the state’s biennial legislative session, which is slated to end on May 29th. 

Among the bills schedule for votes are: 

• Senate Bill 1933,  a dangerous elections bill that would allow the Texas Secretary of State’s Office to take over the administration of county election departments with little cause. 
• Senate Bill 1070 , which would let Texas contract with a yet-to-be-identified vendor to check voter registration eligibility and leave ERIC, the Electronic Registration Information Center that has helped election administrators in several states keep up-to-date and accurate voter registration lists.  
• Senate Bill 1750, a bill seeking to abolish the Harris County Election Administrator’s Office, making Harris County, home to Houston,  the only large metropolitan county in Texas to not have elections run by a professional administrator instead of a partisan elected official. 

In addition, Common Cause Texas will participate in the We Know Our Worth: Rally for Our Rights beginning at 2 p.m. CT on the south steps of the Texas Capitol. The rally, rescheduled from last week, is hosted by the Texas for All and will protest the slate of anti-democratic and anti-freedom bills being passed this legislative session. 

The following is a statement from Katya Ehresman, Common Cause Texas’ voting rights program manager.

“Every Texan should be alarmed at the brazen attacks we are seeing by Texas lawmakers on the independence and self-governance of our local communities.  These undemocratic power grabs  aren’t about protecting the right to vote or ensuring our elections are safe but are about suppressing the rights of voters who may want a different future. Texans deserve better.” 

What: House floor votes on several anti-voter bills, including proposals to withdraw from ERIC, allow state takeovers of county election offices

When: Texas House of Representatives convene at 10 a.m. CT Saturday, May 19  

Where: House floor, Texas Capitol in Austin. 

A livestream can be viewed here.

Members of Common Cause Texas will be available Saturday at the Texas Capitol for media interviews.