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Davis And State Dems Planning To Monitor For Voter Suppression, Discrimination

David Martin Davies | Texas Public Radio
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TPR News

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis and the Texas Democratic Party are launching a voter protection program to monitor voter suppression and discrimination on Election Day.

Davis predicts this election will have large voter turnout and she, along with the state party and Battleground Texas, are getting prepared for what could come down to a legal fight at the ballot box.

“We want more Texans to participate in this election and not less," Davis said. "We believe our elected officials should represent every single eligible voter and that every single Texans should have a say in who makes our laws.”

Davis said the voting protection program will be looking for voter suppression at the polls that may be related to the state's voter ID law. Tarrant County Commission Roy Brooks, who is also involved in the project, explained how this will work.

“It sets up command centers all over the state to monitor reports from precincts," Brooks said. "Thousands of volunteers will provide these reports, noting any efforts to make voting hard. If voters need support the program can dispatch election law experts and lawyers to any polling station.”

Voter ID requires voters to possess an acceptable form of identification in order to cast a ballot. In September, a federal judge in Corpus Christi will hear oral arguments regarding the constitutionality of this state law.

Ryan started his radio career in 2002 working for Austin’s News Radio KLBJ-AM as a show producer for the station's organic gardening shows. This slowly evolved into a role as the morning show producer and later as the group’s executive producer.