Johnson Introduces Bill Mandating Voter Notification of Polling Place Changes Amid Texas Suppression Efforts

WASHINGTON, DC - In response to Republican efforts to restrict ballot access by eliminating countywide vote centers and requiring voters to cast ballots only in their assigned precincts on Election Day during Dallas County's March 3rd primary, Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32), a member of the House Administration Committee, announced the introduction of the Voter Outreach for Transparent Elections (VOTE) Act. The legislation establishes clear, minimum notification requirements to ensure voters are promptly informed of any polling place changes, so no one is disenfranchised due to confusion or lack of notice.

"Throughout the primary in Dallas County, voters were able to cast their ballots during early voting at any countywide vote center. However, Republicans changed the rules for Election Day-restricting voters to their one assigned precinct. The result was predictable: widespread confusion, voters, both Democrat and Republican, being turned away, a court-ordered extension of voting hours, and there is uncertainty about whether ballots cast after 7:00 PM will even be counted," said Johnson.

"These types of changes to election procedures that leave voters of both parties frustrated and disenfranchised shouldn't happen in any jurisdiction. If any state chooses to eliminate vote centers and force voters back into assigned precincts, the bare minimum they owe the public is clear, timely notice about where to vote," Johnson continued. "The VOTE Act is about transparency and fairness. It ensures that no voter is denied their voice simply because politicians decided to move the goalposts. Our democracy works best when every eligible voter has a clear and accessible path to cast a ballot-and I will always fight to protect that fundamental right."

The legislation requires that if a state changes a voter's polling place for a federal election from the location they used in the previous federal election, the state must:

• Notify the voter of their new polling place at least 7 days before the election.

• The election office must post a general notice of the change on the state or local election website, on social media, and on signs at the voter's old polling place.

The legislation also requires that if the polling place change happens less than 7 days before the election, and the voter goes to their old polling place, the state must make every reasonable effort to allow the voter to cast their ballot that day.

To read the full text of the legislation, click here.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas's 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.

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