Many residents raised questions about how the changes could impact their districts, voter registration, and upcoming elections.
HOUSTON — The conversation around redistricting is far from over, and now Houston-area residents are weighing in.
Wednesday night, Houston Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, alongside State Sen. Carol Alvarado and State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, hosted an open house on redistricting at the San Jacinto College North Campus, giving residents a closer look at the proposed changes and a chance to voice their concerns.
Many residents raised questions about how the changes could impact their districts, voter registration, and upcoming elections.
“All of this is obviously very concerning,” one resident said. “I’m also very concerned about what he president is saying about mail-in ballots. It just feels like this will keep growing and growing in trying to restrict people’s access.”
Residents also voiced their opinions on how the redistricting battle has drawn national attention.
“I want to thank the legislators from the state of Texas that broke quorum, because that brought everything looking at Texas to see what had to be done,” one resident said.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” another said. “I am firmly opposed to retaliatory redistricting in California or Illinois or any other state trying to even the score.”
The new maps are being challenged in federal court. A preliminary hearing is set for October 1. Congresswoman Garcia said what happens next is uncertain.
“The federal courts can pretty much do whatever they want to on this issue,” she explained. “So right now, we don’t know which map we’re going to follow for the next election. We don’t know if the timeline stays the same for filing for office for the primary. Nothing, nothing yet. Now, all those things can change. The only thing I can’t change is the November election. That’s federal law.”
The redistricting bill is now on Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk and he’s already said he intends to sign it into law.
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