Tag Archive for: Voting Rights

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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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UCLA Voting Rights Project’s Statement on the SCOTUS Decision in Watson v. Republican National Committee

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

UCLA Voting Rights Project’s Statement on the SCOTUS Decision in Watson v. Republican National Committee

LOS ANGELES (June 29, 2026) — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today in Watson v. RNC, holding that federal law does not require mail ballots to be received by Election Day. The decision allows states to continue counting ballots that are cast by Election Day and received after the polls close, in accordance with state law.

Statement from the UCLA Voting Rights Project:

“In a significant win for democracy, the U.S. Supreme Court has empowered states to control their election deadlines, allowing validly cast ballots postmarked by election day to be counted. This interpretation reinforces the rights of the states to control their election infrastructure and ensures that every legally cast ballot is counted.  Writing for the Court, Justice Barrett made clear, votes cast by Election Day are valid and states can determine when to count them.

“States all across the country have laws in place that permit voters to drop off or mail their ballots on election day and have those votes counted. For decades, this practice has been utilized with success in Republican and Democratic controlled states, and allowed wider voter access and participation, including for military and overseas American voters. Millions of people may not be able to physically vote in person on election day and use legal vote-by-mail ballots and trust the United States Postal Service to deliver their ballots. Today, the Supreme Court has ensured these equitable practices continue, allowing states to enforce laws making the franchise accessible for all.  The decision emphasizes the power of states over elections, highlighting their ability to enact and enforce their own election laws meant to make voting possible for all eligible voters. 

“California currently allows for timely post-marked ballots to be counted if received seven-days after election day, and can continue its policy, ensuring that voting remains open and accessible to all those eligible. In light of recent blows to democracy, this decision reinforces that the fight for equal voting for all can and must continue.  The UCLA Voting Rights Project will continue fighting for voters and the expanded franchise.”

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