Ray Perryman, president and CEO of an economic research and analysis firm, told Tarrant County commissioners May 4 that proposed state legislation to restrict voter access as a way of protecting election integrity could economically injure Tarrant County and Texas as a whole.
“When people have access to the ballot, over time, their earnings improve. Their participation in the workforce improves,” Perryman said.
Texas House Bill 6 and Senate Bill 7 will hurt rather than help, he said. And research related to voting rights across 50 years points to that claim, he said.
“It kind of makes sense. If you have access to the ballot, you’re going to get more funding for your schools. You’re going to get more training opportunities. You’re going to affect the policy process,” Perryman said.
