April 5th, 2021

Amy Chronis
Board Chair
Greater Houston Partnership
701 Avenida De Las Americas #900
Houston, TX 77010

Dear Chair Chronis and President Harvey,

We, the undersigned Houston-area community organizations, elected officials, and individuals, call on the Greater Houston Partnership to join us in following through with your commitment to racial equity by expressing opposition to Senate Bill 7 and House Bill 6. We oppose these bills because we believe that in America’s most diverse city, every American – regardless of skin color – should have a voice in our democracy and that voting should be safe and accessible to all voters.

Texas has had a long, abhorrent history of racial discrimination. From poll taxes to whites-only primaries, our state legislators have long used their power to restrict the right to vote. SB7 and HB6 are no different.

SB7 would burden voters in a number of different ways. It would eliminate dozens of polling locations in Black and Brown neighborhoods, leading to longer lines. It openly encourages the harassment of voters and election staff at polling places by allowing poll watchers to videotape voters while they are voting, opening the floodgates for widespread abuse from self-interested operatives and provocateurs. SB7 creates scare tactics to dissuade groups of voters from traveling to voting sites together, such as the Souls to the Polls efforts organized by Black churches, by requiring drivers who bring three or more voters to sign an additional form to which the Attorney General would have access. The bill also makes it illegal to offer 24-hour and drive-thru voting, innovations Harris County created so people across the political spectrum could vote safely and conveniently amidst the chaos of an unprecedented global pandemic.

HB6 would add another layer of voter suppression measures. It would give partisan poll watchers free rein to wreak havoc in polling places by eliminating election workers’ abilities to remove them from the voting site, even though Texas poll watchers have a notorious track record of intimidating Black voters and voters of color. HB6 would also criminalize small mistakes for people assisting voters to register and prohibit election officials from sending voters applications to vote by mail - or even to simply inform voters about how to vote by mail. Further, the bill increases burdens on people with disabilities to vote by imposing criminal penalties on non-family assistants such as caregivers who make innocent mistakes. 

The Greater Houston Partnership has long held a powerful role in shaping public policy to ensure Texas is a great place to do business. In 2017, your organization took the commendable step to oppose anti-transgender legislation. That public approach helped convince the Legislature to drop those efforts. 

More recently, the Partnership has demonstrated important leadership in advancing One Houston Together, a collective call for companies and organizations to make racial equity a priority in our community. We agree with the One Houston Together declaration, that in addressing racial inequities, making “meaningful changes requires serious societal commitment and concerted action.” We stand for racial equity when we stand against voter suppression laws.

A growing number of leaders in the business community have already spoken out against these voter suppression bills. Two iconic Texas companies, American Airlines and Dell, have publicly announced their opposition. Microsoft, too, has voiced its objection. At the national level, business organizations including the Business Roundtable and the Civic Alliance, have issued statements condemning voter suppression bills. And former American Express CEO Ken Chenault wrote on behalf of 72 Black executives, “Corporations have to stand up. There is no middle ground. You either are for more people voting, or you want to suppress the vote.”

Now is the time to speak out. The Texas Senate has already passed SB7, and HB6 is awaiting a final House committee vote. It is possible that both bills will pass the Legislature within the next 2-3 weeks. 

As your community organizations, elected officials, customers, and neighbors, we implore the Greater Houston Partnership to speak against SB7 and HB6. Time is of the essence. 

Sincerely,

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