Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) filed a lawsuit against Travis County on Friday, alleging that the county broke state law by hiring a third-party company to assist with voter registration efforts. According to Paxton, the use of Civic Government Solutions, a company with ties to progressive politics, to track down unregistered voters is illegal under Texas law.
Paxton warned that allowing partisan actors to assist in voter registration “invites fraud” and damages public confidence in the election system. “Travis County has blatantly violated Texas law,” Paxton said in a statement. He added, “Programs like this reduce public trust in our elections.”
In response, Travis County spokesperson Hector Nieto defended the county’s actions, emphasizing their commitment to encouraging voter participation and maintaining the integrity of the voter registration process. “It is disappointing that any statewide elected official would prefer to sow distrust and discourage participation in the electoral process,” Nieto stated.
The lawsuit against Travis County is the second Paxton has filed this week related to voter registration. Earlier, Paxton sued Bexar County, claiming the county illegally mailed out voter registration forms to residents without their request.
As Texas approaches the 2024 election season, these lawsuits underscore the intense focus on election integrity, with Paxton taking a hardline stance on what he sees as unlawful practices.