Texas residents have until Feb. 3 to register to to vote in the “Super Tuesday” March primaries. But they have to do it in person. However, the League of Women Voters of Texas is looking to eventually change that. The non-partisan, pro-democracy organization filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday claiming that Texas violated the National Voter Registration Act by not providing voter registration with online driver’s license applications. Grace Chimene is the president of the League of Women Voters of Texas.
Texas Refugees
Texas is closed to refugees, that’s what Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is declaring. He says the state needs to take care of its own before it seeks to help others. Abbott notified U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of the decision, making Texas the first state of ban refugee resettlement.
Abbott’s decision takes advantage of President Donald Trump’s September decree that state and local governments would now have to opt in to the federal refugee resettlement program.
But days later a federal judge temporarily halted that Trump administration’s policy, meaning that refugees can continue to resettle in Texas for now.
Russell Smith is the CEO of Refugee Services of Texas.
Candidate Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg is looking at Texas to propel him to the Democratic nomination for president. Last weekend the self made billionaire and former mayor of New York City launched a bus tour of Texas in San Antonio. I traveled with Bloomberg on his bus and he told me he will dedicate significant resources to flip the state blue and support who ever get the presidential nomination in November.
David Martin Davies can be reached at DMDavies@TPR.org and on Twitter at @DavidMartinDavi.