UPDATE: July 29, 2021 - see how Dallas County elected officials voted on key election/voting bills in the 87th Texas session that were publicly supported or opposed by our Texas League:

87th TX Session - Votes by Dallas County Officials on Voting bills Texas League supported
87th TX Session - Votes by Dallas County Officials on Voting bills Texas League opposed

HOW TEXAS GOT RECORDED VOTES
By Linda Camin, Barbara Weinstein and Nancy Wilson

Thanks to the combined efforts of the League of Women Voters of Texas, The Dallas Morning News, and a former Texas State Senator, Texans will at least know how their state legislators vote when critical election issues threatening our voting rights come up in the special session beginning July 8th.

Unlike 40 other states, Texas legislators were not required to record all their votes by individual name until 2007. They relied on many voice votes: “all those in favor, say aye and all those opposed, say nay.” Thus, there was no record of how any individual legislator voted. When three long-time Leaguers from Dallas and Richardson became aware of this issue, they did what Leaguers do. They went to lunch and formed a Committee to change it. Since this was a State issue, the Leaguers presented their case to the LWVTX Board and received permission to proceed. They were appointed as a state Committee on Recorded Votes and worked with the Vice President of Advocacy.

During this time period, a new Editorial Page Editor, Keven Anne Willey, came to The Dallas Morning News. She arrived from Arizona where she had worked on Recorded Votes and was committed to getting Recorded Votes implemented in Texas. We took her to lunch - at a restaurant a little more upscale than the Corner Bakery.

The Dallas Morning News launched a long-range campaign to “Let the Sunshine In” with Recorded Votes. Numerous editorials followed which sometimes included names and viewpoints of those who did and did not support recorded votes. Additionally, the DMN solicited and published signatures of community organizations and leaders who supported recorded votes.

In 2003, Texas State Senator John Carona (R) of Dallas filed legislation to mandate recorded votes but received negligible support from colleagues. Most legislators were against recorded votes because they thought their political enemies and campaign opponents would use their votes against them.

Early on, we met with Senator Carona and offered the League’s help, which he appreciated. We worked with the Senator and his staff to gain the support of other legislators for the next several years. Senator Carona also spoke inspiringly and informatively on Recorded Votes at our State Convention.

It was decided from the get-go to try for an Amendment to ensure permanence. A proposed constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate and then must be approved by a majority of the voters. Years of lunch meetings at the Corner Bakery to plot strategy ensued. All of the League processes were activated as we:

1. Researched facts;
a. Educated and urged advocacy to our members and the public locally with general meetings and newsletter articles;
b. Educated League members and urged advocacy statewide through newsletters, articles and action alerts;
2. Provided workshops at LWVTX State Convention;
3. Wrote Letters to the Editor and an Op-Ed piece;
4. Called League Leaders in other state chapters we knew personally;
5. Lobbied state legislators in home offices and Austin; and
6. Distributed Recorded Vote buttons and stickers and put Record Votes reminders on our stationery.

During the 2007 Legislative session, the Austin League provided local volunteer members from the Capitol Corp to monitor issues and hearings and to lobby representatives. Our wonderful Capitol Corp liaison not only visited key offices to secure votes for Recorded Votes, but she also brought cookies to the hard-working legislative staffers for their long hours at the end of the session when the vote on the constitutional amendment would take place.

The League was among one of the first of hundreds to sign on to The Dallas Morning News campaign, and we also recruited other community organizations to join. Keven spoke at our local meetings and state convention. When she became Committee Chair of an organization of Texas newspaper editorial page editors, she made recorded votes a priority issue. We followed up by getting League members in their locales to contact these editors to write editorials and for members to send letters to the editor. When The Dallas Morning News received national journalism recognition, DMN shared the award money with the League.

Success at last! In May, 2007, a two-thirds vote was achieved in the Texas House and Senate to amend the Texas Constitution to take on-the-record, roll-call votes on final passage of all substantive measures passed. In the fall of 2007, the voters passed this amendment with the highest number of votes of any of the several amendments on the ballot.

This effort demonstrates the effectiveness of the League of Women Voters, our mission, our goals and our processes. The League has a sterling reputation, and our name opens doors. In this critical time of assault on our voting rights and election processes, our actions are crucially needed.

The LWV TEXAS Committee on Recorded Votes (aka “the Sunbeams”). Still good friends having lunch (COVID permitting) and plotting strategy at the Corner Bakery. July 2021

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