Democracy, elections and voting at Democracy Chronicles

The end of the Texas straight-ticket voting system brings the state closer to national norms. A Ballot Access News post by Richard Winger has the latest:

On Saturday, May 20, the Texas House again passed HB 25. It had passed earlier but then the Senate had amended it to postpone the effective date until after the 2018 election. Therefore the House had to consider that amendment. The House did accept the amendment, on Saturday. Thanks to Jim Riley for the news.

According to the Associated Press, the bill had “advanced with Republican support over Democratic objections”. Also:

The state House originally passed the bill, then voted 89-45 on Saturday to approve changes made in the Senate. It now goes to Gov. Greg Abbott, who can sign or veto the bill, or allow it to become law automatically. For now, Texas is one of 10 states allowing straight-ticket voting. Twelve others have scrapped it since 1994.

Interestingly, the The Seneca Nation of Indians in New York uses a straight ticket voting device as well:

The Seneca Nation of Indians, which operates under a republican form of government on reservations within the bounds of the state of New York, offers a straight-ticket voting option. To qualify, a political party must field candidates in each seat up for election in a given year. In practice, only the Seneca Party, which has been the dominant party in the nation’s politics for decades, has ever received the straight-ticket option. Opponents of the Seneca Party have accused the party of using the straight-ticket option to eavesdrop on voters and punish them with the loss of their jobs if they do not use it.