Questioning Discrimination in Democracy: An Analysis of Texas Voter Laws

Date

2018-05

Authors

Morrow, Morgan

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Abstract

The discrimination in the democratic process of voting in the United States was discriminatory in its very creation. A citizen being able to have the right to vote is essential in a democracy. Although the United States passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to counter discrimination in voting, states such as Texas, has continued to pass laws regarding the voting process that can be seen to almost serve the same discrimination factor as the literacy and poll taxes during the Jim Crow Era. In this thesis, I focus on how Texas laws regarding the voting process of citizens leads to the disenfranchisement of minority voters and serve as catalysts of disenfranchisement from the basic democratic right to vote. I include an analysis of past voter history in Texas, as well as recent court cases to highlight Texas’ discriminatory practices in voter ID laws, gerrymandering, and ballot issues. In addition, I have conducted an interview with practicing civil rights attorneys Jose Garza and Martin Golando, who are head counsel and co-counsel for the Abbott v. Perez case regarding Texas’ gerrymandered districts set to make its way to the United States Supreme Court, to display the viewpoints of practicing lawyers in the field.

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Keywords

voter rights, democracy, ID laws, Gerrymandering, discrimination, voter laws, disfranchisement, Honors College

Citation

Morrow, M. (2018). Questioning discrimination in democracy: An analysis of Texas voter laws (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.

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