The Texas Forward Party's Election Reform Strategies
Introduction
The 2024 general election had just over 61% voter turnout of registered voters. The 2024 primary elections had turnout of registered voters of less than 13% Republican and 5.5% Democrat. The last gubernatorial election of 2022 had less than 46% of registered voters vote.
The Texas Legislature performs reapportionment of Congressional districts after the completion of each United States Census taken every 10 years as required by the Constitution. This redistricting is done to reflect demographic shifts both amongst and between states as identified by the new Census.
The Texas State Legislature in a Special Session passed the new congressional map with the express purpose of increasing the number of Republican held seats in Congress. This midterm (five year) redistricting has been requested by the President of the United States in hopes of providing more Republican seats in the next Congress being elected in 2026.
Strategies for Improvement
Utilize Independent, Non-Partisan Commission to Determine All Levels of Texas Redistricting
About 21 states currently use independent, non-partisan or bipartisan commissions to perform redistricting functions in their states. The Forward Party of Texas believes utilizing the independent commission is the best way to provide for true representative democracy in Texas.
The current actions of the Republican Party will continue to take our state further away from democracy and further entrench Texas as a one-party State.
Increase Voter Participation Through Rank Choice Voting (RCV)
RCV allows voters to have their second, third or other choices count if their prior choices finish last in each round of counting of votes. The Forward Party of Texas believes RCV will increase voter participation since more votes will “count” with voters ranking their preferences for candidates. Voters seeing the increased likelihood their vote impacts who wins a race will be more likely to show up at the polls since votes aren’t wasted voting for the lesser of two evils. RCV also forces candidates to campaign for and once elected be answerable to a wider range of voters in order to get the second and third choice votes required to win an RCV election.Open Primaries to Produce Higher Voter Turnout and Less Politically Extreme Candidates
Other states using open primaries see more voter participation that results in less ideologically extreme candidates for a general election. The Forward Party of Texas believes using open primaries in Texas will have the same result and save money eliminating the need for and cost of runoff elections.
Finding a majority candidates is more likely if RCV is implemented in conjunction with open primaries because it can be done in a single election.Increase Voter Access Through Online Voter Registration
There are 43 states plus the District of Columbia doing online voter registration to increase access for registered voters to vote. In Texas, a voter registration application can be completed online, but it cannot be submitted online. It must be printed and mailed to the respective County Voter Registrar. That should be changed, we should allow the completed application to be submitted online.Increase Protection of State and Local Election Officials
Pass legislation making online and personal threats of violence relating to the execution of their election job duties to any state and local election official a 1st degree felony. Provide more local law enforcement resources to monitor and protect election officials during periods of preparing for and serving as election poll workers. Poll workers are community volunteers. Harassment of poll workers is unacceptable.
Important Bill Currently Before the Texas Legislature
House Joint Resolution 26 (HJR 26)
HJR26 proposes a constitutional amendment establishing the Texas Redistricting Commission to redistrict the Texas Legislature, Texas congressional districts, and State Board of Education districts and revising procedures for redistricting. The Forward Party of Texas would like more information about this bill but does support the concept and would consider supporting the bill once we receive more clarifying information about it.
