Texas Republicans target local election authority in Houston with slew of bills

Two laws passed by the senate in April and approved by the house on Tuesday will affect the third most populous county in the US

Republican lawmakers in Texas are targeting Houston, the state’s largest city and Democratic stronghold, with a series of bills that would limit local authority to administer elections and give that power to the state.

House Republicans on Tuesday gave final approval to two bills, both already passed by the senate in April, that would impact elections in Harris county, the third most populous county in the country. One bill, SB 1750, would get rid of the election administrator position in the county, eliminating a nonpartisan role, and give their authority to the county clerk and tax assessor-collector. Another, SB 1933, could give the Texas secretary of state, currently a Republican appointed by Greg Abbott, the governor, administrative oversight of a county office administering elections.