Dozens of elected Democrats from Texas left their southern state in the United States on Monday, July 12, in order to prevent the adoption of a controversial electoral law, wanted by the Republican majority in the Texas parliament. Texas law authorizes the arrest of elected state officials who are absent during voting sessions and to bring them, by force if necessary, into the precincts of Parliament. This is why these elected officials decided to fly to a place where the Texas police do not have the authority to act.
"My fellow Democrats and I are leaving the state to prevent a quorum from being reached and torpedo the Texas Voting Restriction Bill"
, said in a tweet James Talarico, Democratic deputy of the House of Representatives of Texas.
The elected official claimed to fly to Washington and later tweeted a photo showing him at the foot of a plane, with another Democratic congresswoman from Texas by his side.
Read also: United States: Republicans seek to limit the exercise of the right to vote
The American vice-president Kamala Harris made a point during a trip to Michigan to greet these elected officials
"who defend the rights of all Americans and all Texans to express their voice by voting, without obstacle"
. Former Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke also praised their action, saying on Twitter that these elected officials represented
"the courage the country currently needs"
. The Republican Governor of Texas Greg Abbott, meanwhile, lamented their departure.
"The decision of the Texas Democrats to prevent the quorum from being met ... is damaging the Texans who elected them to serve."
As they cross the country in comfortable private planes, they leave behind unresolved issues, ”
he said in a statement.
"It's time to get back to work,"
Greg Abbott also argued on Twitter.
"Attack on Democracy"
The elected Democrats of Texas had already sabotaged at the end of May the adoption of this restrictive law on the organization of the electoral ballots, qualified then of
"attack on the democracy"
by US President Joe Biden.
They had left en masse the ballot organized for the bill in the Texan parliament and the necessary quorum could not be reached.
This law, wanted by the Republicans like those already adopted in Georgia and Florida, officially aims to make elections safer by banning “drive-in” voting or by establishing numerous restrictions on voting times and by postal vote.
But these restrictions most often target provisions that make it easier to vote for minorities, especially African Americans who are generally more pro-Democrat.
Read also: United States: Are the Republicans seeking to restrict minority voting?
Since the presidential election, bills limiting access to the vote have multiplied in the States at the initiative of the Republicans. President Joe Biden is due to speak Tuesday from East Coast Philadelphia on his
"actions to protect the sacred, constitutional right to vote
.
"