SAN ANTONIO – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Bexar County Commissioners Court after a 3-1 vote to launch a program that would mail voter registration applications to residents regardless of their eligibility to cast a ballot.
Paxton’s lawsuit aims to block the program, which the attorney general says violates the state law.
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The county would hire a third-party vendor for the taxpayer-funded program to send voter registration forms to unregistered individuals.
Paxton argues that sending these forms to unverified recipients could lead to felons and noncitizens registering to vote, which is illegal. His office said counties in Texas do not have the statutory authority to print and mail state voter registration forms.
The attorney general had previously sent a letter to Bexar County commissioners, warning them about legal action if they decided to proceed with the plan. Paxton’s lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent the program from taking effect.
“Despite being warned against adopting this blatantly illegal program that would spend taxpayer dollars to mail registration applications to potentially ineligible voters, Bexar County has irresponsibly chosen to violate the law,” said Attorney General Paxton in a news release. “This program is completely unlawful and potentially invites election fraud. It is a crime to register to vote if you are ineligible.”
Bexar County officials responded to the lawsuit on Wednesday, including County Judge Peter Sakai, who said the decision was a non-partisan approach to enable new residents who recently relocated to the county to register to vote through a targeted approach.
““The right to vote is a foundation of democracy, and voter registration is a gateway to civic participation. Bexar County’s nonpartisan effort to provide voter registration applications to targeted eligible citizens is within the authority of the County and consistent with State law,” Sakai said.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said his office is ready to take on Paxton in court.
“My office will do everything in its power to defend that decision from the attack by Attorney General Ken Paxton and his meritless attempt to stop democracy through the improper use of our court system,” Gonzales said.
Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said that while she encourages all potential Bexar County voters through an active voter registration push, she was not consulted about the decision to hire CGS by the commissioners court.
