Voting restrictions are bad for business
State lawmakers will soon hold public hearings at the Texas Capitol on legislation that would make voting more difficult and confusing for Texans. Many of the proposed bills are aimed directly at ways Houston and Harris County improved voting access. Although state and federal courts upheld innovative practices such as drive-thru voting and 24-hour voting in 2020, the governor, lieutenant governor and some legislators now want to make them illegal in future elections.
These bills not only stifle local innovation, but they also aim to decrease voting hours and limit the number of voting machines in urban counties where more Black and Hispanic voters reside. They would force disabled voters, many of whom do not have access to health care, to provide a certified doctor’s note to vote by mail. They seek to inflict criminal penalties on voters and election workers and make in-person voting less safe.
It’s already harder to vote in Texas than any other state — if these bills become law, Texas would be codifying the most regressive and oppressive election policies since the racist Jim Crow era. Following the killing of former Houston resident George Floyd, companies across America stood up in denouncing racism and embracing inclusivity and equity as corporate values. These proposed laws are in direct conflict with those values.
Throughout my time as chief elections officer for Harris County in 2020, my office worked with partners in the business and faith communities to administer an election that was safe, secure and accessible despite the pandemic. We were proud to team with the Rockets to turn Toyota Center into a massive walk-in and drive-thru voting center where thousands of Texans exercised their constitutional right and civic duty.
We increased voting centers and hours throughout the county and decreased wait times. Harris County saw its highest voter turnout in history, and both major political parties saw dramatically increased participation.
It’s disappointing and discouraging to learn that many of these innovations would be eliminated under the proposed voter suppression bills, and it’s upsetting to learn that legislation would also add barriers to voters of color and those with disabilities.
Businesses have recently taken a stand for social justice, and they shouldn’t remain silent while these regressive, undemocratic proposals make their way through the state Legislature. Homegrown Texas companies, as well as those that have relocated headquarters here, have been vocal about fighting inequality, and many were active in supporting voting efforts in 2020. This fight is just as important. And this fight is winnable.
Similar legislation has made headlines in Georgia. After voters — Black voters in particular — turned out in record numbers in the 2020 presidential election and 2021 Senate runoffs, state lawmakers began efforts to eliminate voting on Sundays, when Black churches typically hold “souls to the polls” programs. They also sought to eliminate no-excuse absentee voting, which was permitted in 45 states in 2020. (Texas, unsurprisingly, was not one of them.)
The business community did not sit silently. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce issued a statement declaring that “the right to vote is one of the most sacred rights of a U.S. Citizen,” “that free enterprise thrives when democracy is secured,” and “upholding the American ideal of free and fair elections.”
Georgia-based companies like Coca-Cola and Home Depot aligned themselves with the chamber’s position, and their efforts appear to have borne fruit. Although Georgia lawmakers enacted a number of voting restrictions, Sunday voting and no-excuse absentee voting were left intact.
Here in Texas, companies such as H-E-B, AT&T, CenterPoint and Pizza Hut have taken recent stands for social justice and against racism. Joining the fight for voting rights is in line with their values and is in the best interest of their employees and customers (not to mention our state and our country).
It’s also in the best interest of their bottom lines. Voters are customers too, and consumers are becoming more aware of and attracted to companies that support their values. Polls show that pro-democracy measures and stronger voting rights are deeply popular with the public.
Opposing measures that hurt Texas voters isn’t complicated. It makes sense for our democracy, it makes good business sense and it makes common sense. But time is not on our side. The Texas House’s voter suppression bill has already been brought up by the Elections Committee, and the committee adjourned without hearing testimony from hundreds of Texans. Its companion bill in the Senate is not far behind.
I hope that Texas corporations will use their power to amplify the voices of their employees and customers. The future of our democracy depends on it.