Tag Archive for: Bernadette Reyes

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Victory for Galveston, TX Voters: Illegal Map Struck Down as Fight Still Continues for Fair Representation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alberto Lammers; alammers@luskin.ucla.edu

Victory for Galveston, TX Voters: Illegal Map Struck Down as Fight Still Continues for Fair Representation

AUSTIN, Texas (September 11, 2026) — Today, in an important step toward fair maps for Galveston voters, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that county commissioners in Galveston County, Texas, unlawfully disenfranchised Galveston’s voters through the 2026 map enacted between the primary and general elections.

Today’s ruling is the result of a petition filed by Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) on behalf of Galveston County voters, which argued that the passage of this new map mid-election without any mechanism for voters and candidates to participate equally under the new map violated not only the Texas Constitution, but also the United States Constitution and Texas Election Code.

While this victory is important, the longer fight for fair maps continues in federal court. Galveston County has a long history of drawing maps in a way that discriminates against and diminishes the voting strength of Black and Latino voters, and the map that was in place for the 2026 primary is no exception. The 2021 maps are the subject of ongoing federal litigation in which CLC and VRP argue that they constitute unlawful and intentionally discriminatory racial gerrymandering.

“Although the fight for fair maps in Galveston County is far from over, today’s victory sends a clear sign that Galveston County cannot illegally disenfranchise its voters,” said Mark Gaber, senior director of redistricting at Campaign Legal Center. “Electoral systems that intentionally discriminate against voters in communities of color deprive voters of an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. While we celebrate this victory at the Texas Supreme Court, we are still continuing our fight in Galveston to ensure that any discriminatory maps are struck down so all voters can make their voices heard.” 

“Today’s ruling protects the right of voters and candidates to participate equally in our elections,” said Bernadette Reyes, senior staff attorney at the VRP. “Galveston County cannot change district boundaries in the middle of an election and deny voters and candidates an equal opportunity to participate in a new map.” 

Background:

In October 2023, a federal judge ruled that Galveston County’s redistricting map, which denied Black and Latino voters an equal opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice, violated Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA).

While the map had been struck down by the federal district court judge, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered that the illegal map could remain in place for the 2024 election — the same map the federal judge had deemed “mean-spirited” and “egregious” in his October 2023 ruling. This order was later affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Read the ruling here.

About the UCLA Voting Rights Project

The UCLA Voting Rights Project was established to protect equal voting rights for all Americans through strategic litigation, social science research, and policy advocacy. The VRP seeks to ensure that all individuals are afforded equal access to the electoral process and representation in governance. For more information about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit vrp.ucla.edu.

 

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Campaign Legal Center, UCLA Voting Rights Project File Lawsuit in Texas Supreme Court Challenging Galveston’s New Unlawful County Government Maps

For Immediate Release
Contact: Alberto Lammers; alammers@luskin.ucla.edu

Campaign Legal Center, UCLA Voting Rights Project File Lawsuit in Texas Supreme Court Challenging Galveston’s New Unlawful County Government Maps

AUSTIN, Texas (August 5, 2026) — On August 4, 2026, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and the UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) filed a lawsuit at the Texas Supreme Court, asking the court to strike down Galveston County’s newly adopted commissioner precinct map as unlawful.

Earlier this year, the Galveston County Commission passed the new map after voters had already cast ballots under a different map in the Texas primary election. This new map violates both the United States Constitution and the Texas Constitution, as well as the Texas Election Code.

“Black and Latino voters in Galveston have been fighting for fair maps for almost two decades. They deserve to have their voices heard and their votes counted,” said Mark Gaber of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. “The County Commission has once again passed an unlawful map — this time in the middle of an ongoing election season. We are continuing our work to fight tirelessly for fair maps to ensure voters can meaningfully elect their candidate of choice.”

“Election rules should not change after voters have already begun casting ballots,” said Bernadette Reyes, voting rights counsel at the UCLA Voting Rights Project. “When officials redraw districts in the middle of an election, it threatens both equal representation and confidence in our democratic process. Our lawsuit asks the court to protect those fundamental rights and principles.”

Today’s lawsuit builds on years of litigation challenging discriminatory maps in Galveston County. CLC and VRP joined a federal case representing individual voters in Galveston in 2021 and have been advocating for fair representation since. Last week, both organizations argued in federal court that the Galveston County government map, passed in 2021 and which was very similar to this 2026 map, intentionally discriminated against Black and Latino voters.

Not only does this most recent map unfairly discriminate against Galveston’s Black and Latino voters, who comprise nearly half of the county’s population, the map was passed after voters had already voted under the original maps in primary elections earlier in the year. The lawsuit filed today asserts that the passage of these new maps in the middle of election season violates the Texas Constitution, the United States Constitution, and the Texas Election Code.

Additional Background:

In October 2023, a federal judge ruled that Galveston County’s redistricting map, which denied Black and Latino voters the equal opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice, violated Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA).

While the map had been struck down by the federal district court judge, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered that the illegal map could remain in place for the 2024 election — the same map that — the federal judge deemed “mean-spirited” and “egregious” in his October 2023 ruling. This order was later affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. The federal litigation has continued, with arguments last week in this case before a federal judge.

Follow the latest updates via Campaign Legal Center’s case page.

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ABOUT the UCLA Voting Rights Project

The UCLA Voting Rights Project was established to protect equal voting rights for all Americans through strategic litigation, social science research and policy advocacy. The VRP seeks to ensure that all individuals are afforded equal access to the electoral process and representation in governance. For more information about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit vrp.ucla.edu.

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