Texas House Approves Abolishing One-Punch Voting
Texas lawmakers have approved a bill that would eliminate so-called "one-punch" voting.
The Houston Chronicle reports that House Bill 25 passed with a vote of 85-59 Friday. The bill would remove the option for voters to cast a straight-ticket ballot for their party, requiring that they select a candidate in each race.
According to the Texas Tribune, opponents argue that the bill would inconvenience voters and result in lower turnout. Proponents say the goal is to have voters make informed decisions in individual races.
If the bill becomes law, one-punch voting would no longer be an option beginning with the 2020 election.
Texas is one of only nine states that currently allow straight-ticket voting, In 2016, such ballots accounted for around 64% of votes cast in Texas' ten largest counties, the Tribune reported.