Advancing Integrity has 3 main principles: accuracy, transparency, and accountability. These principles can be applied to many different aspects of politics, but right now we are laser focused on elections.
We strive to fix what is broken in the election codes and laws, demand transparency throughout the election process, and hold election officials accountable.
Top Legislative Priorities
Accurate Elections
Precinct Based Polling– We must eliminate countywide polling and reform early voting so it also allows for precinct based polling.
All Elections are Partisan– All candidates, even local city council members and school board trustees, should have to declare their political party and be elected through the Primary and General Election process.
Uniform Election Dates– All elections should either be Primary elections held in March or General Elections held in November, with the exception of any necessary Runoff elections.
Accurate Voter Rolls
Citizenship– It is imperative that the state has a robust and efficient process to ensure that citizens’ votes are not being canceled out or diluted by non-citizens.
Closed Primaries– End the sabotage. Voters should have to officially register as a part of one party or another to vote in that party’s Primary election.
Transparency
Define Election Records– The Election Code says that election records must be available upon request within 15 days of the election and for a cost of no more than $30. Election officials, however, have redefined “record” to block public access.
Enforcement
Enhanced Penalties– Election officials, poll workers, vote harvesters, and anyone else involved in the election process must be subject to harsh penalties if they knowingly break the law. These penalties must be fully enforced.
Prosecution– The vast majority of Texas District Attorneys have either refused to or have neglected to prosecute violations of election law. Now that the Office of the Attorney General has lost concurrent jurisdiction with the DAs, we need a new solution. This could be State Special Prosecutors, Super DAs, or restoring prosecutorial power to the Attorney General.
Civil Enforcement– Another way to penalize lawbreakers is with civil enforcement. This would be especially effective in the case of Organized Election Fraud as defined in the Election Code. The state would be able to win a case with a lower burden of proof making it easier to go after the bigger fish, those higher up the ladder. Those in the higher tiers are the ones funding the operations, and a large civil penalty would leave them without the funds to continue the operation.