Electoral reform in Texas refers to efforts to change the voting and election laws in the State of Texas.
In 2001, State Representative Ron Wilson proposed lowering the state's voting age to 14, but the proposal did not become law.[1]
The city of Amarillo adopted cumulative voting systems, in which voters can cast one vote per seat, in 2002, allowing for broader representation on the local school boards.[2]
In 2003, some Democratic state legislators were found to be crossing into Oklahoma to avoid voting on a plan that would redraw electoral districts in favor of Republicans.[3] This same tactic would be utilized by Democrats again in 2021 by going to Washington D.C. to avoid giving Republicans a quorum to pass a Republican-backed voting rights reform bill.[4] Ultimately, Republicans would pass the bill in August, 2021.[5][6]
In 2017, HB 496, a bill to enact the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, was introduced to the Texas State Legislature, but the bill died in committee without a hearing.[7]
The Texas Voter Choice Act, introduced in 2017, was an attempt to reform Texas electoral law. Its proponents sought to make the ballot more accessible to third-party and independent candidates by making signature, filing and financial requirements more lenient.[8]