FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2024
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Texas Civil Rights Project: media@texascivilrightsproject.org
MOVE Texas: communications@movetexas.org
Texas Freedom Network: media@tfn.org
SAN ANTONIO, TX—Today, the Democracy From the Ground Up Coalition celebrates the Bexar County Commissioners Court’s recommitment to establishing an Elections & Voter Engagement Advisory Committee. This moment marks a crucial step in our collective efforts to ensure a fair, transparent, and inclusive electoral process in Bexar County. The appointments to the committee are expected to be announced at a future Bexar County Commissioners Court meeting.
Established in 2019 as part of the Democracy From the Ground Up Platform, the Elections & Voter Engagement Advisory Committee will serve as a vital public liaison between Bexar County residents and the Commissioners Court. Despite the initial delay in its implementation, we are excited to witness the discussion of this committee's potential to drive meaningful changes to our local elections, from recommending policy and procedure updates to promoting civic education and engagement.
We applaud the Commissioners Court for taking this essential step toward empowering our community and strengthening our democratic processes and look forward to the appointment of community members. Together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive democracy from the ground up.
Highlighting today’s discussion and action on the Bexar County Elections & Voter Engagement Advisory Committee at Commissioners Court, Taylor Treviño, Senior Advocacy Manager, Voting Rights Program, Texas Civil Rights Project, issued the following statement:
“The long-awaited formation of the Bexar County Elections & Voter Engagement Committee is a huge step in the right direction, creating a space specifically for community input and collaboration with Bexar County elections. We are excited to see the transformation and innovation this committee will bring to Bexar County voters, especially for the engagement of youth and voters of color."
Amber Mills, Senior Democracy Reform Organizer at MOVE Texas, said:
“Election policy is itself a place where we can learn to practice a deeper democracy. With the formation of a Bexar County Elections Advisory Committee, we can consistently explore and gather the best election practices from around the country. Through this new body, we can ensure that proposing and passing pro-voter policies becomes the norm here. Since state leadership is interested in suppressing the vote for a new and young generation of Texans, we need to be interested in how we reach them, engage them, and build their power. This space will provide that by helping break new ground for voting rights in Bexar County and serving as a model for other counties across our state.”
Rocío Fierro-Pérez, Political Director at Texas Freedom Network said:
"The recommitment to establishing an Elections & Voter Engagement Advisory Committee in Bexar County is a significant victory for grassroots democracy and civic engagement. This committee will play a crucial role in ensuring that the voices of all Bexar County residents are heard and represented in our electoral processes. We're excited to see this long-awaited initiative moving forward and look forward to the positive impact it will have on transparency, fairness, and community participation in our local elections."
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About Democracy From the Ground Up: The nonpartisan Democracy From the Ground Up coalition aims to rebuild our election system starting at the local level by using community power to advocate for and implement pro-voter reforms in counties across the state.
About Texas Civil Rights Project: The Texas Civil Rights Project is boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. We use our tools of litigation and legal advocacy to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas, and we partner with communities across the state to serve the rising movement for social justice. We undertake our work with a vision of a Texas in which all communities can thrive with dignity, justice and without fear.
About MOVE Texas Civic Fund: MOVE Texas Civic Fund (501(c)(3) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, grassroots organization building power in underrepresented youth communities through civic education, leadership development, and issue advocacy.
About Texas Freedom Network: Texas Freedom Network is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization of more than 150,000 religious and community leaders who support religious freedom, individual liberties, and public education.
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