Poll reveals split in Texas about fraud in November’s vote

A new University of Houston survey reveals the stark partisan divide among Texans on the issue of voter fraud in the November election.

The survey found that 87 percent of Democrats believe there was no widespread fraud, while 83 percent of Republicans believe there was — despite the lack of evidence to indicate that it occurred. Overall, 55 percent of Texans believed there was no widespread fraud.

“While a sizable number of

Texans believe that voter fraud occurred last November, a majority of Texans don’t agree,” said Kirk P. Watson, founding dean of the university’s Hobby School of Public Affairs and a former Democratic state senator. “We can and should build on that foundation of trust in our elections through education and potential reforms that protect election integrity without resulting in voter suppression.”

The survey was conducted online in English and Spanish among Texans 18 and older Jan. 1220, with 1,329 YouGov respondents. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percent.

The data aligns with national survey data that shows that many in the Republican Party have doubts about the integrity of the election.

“Even though there have been multiple audits, recounts and

dozens of court cases dismissed, many Republicans insist the election was compromised,” said Renée Cross, senior director of the Hobby School.

The same survey also found that most Texans, or 83 percent, opposed the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol led by supporters of former President Donald Trump who believed the election was stolen. Thirty-two percent of Republicans, 15 percent of independents and 8 percent of Democrats supported the events, however.

More than 100 people have been charged by federal authorities in connection with the attack, which left five people dead. Hundreds more suspects are still being investigated, according to authorities.

Gov. Greg Abbott in his State of the State speech this week highlighted election integrity as a top priority that lawmakers could immediately get to work on in the first 60 days of the legislative session.