COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — There's a proposal headed through the Texas Legislature which could prevent universities and public schools from using their campuses as polling locations, which could impact students at Texas A&M.
- House Bill 3144would remove voting locations from public schools and universities.
- If passed, the city of College Station wouldn't be able to use the only voting location on the A&M campus, The Memorial Student Center, as a polling site unless the entire campus is closed for voting as well.
- The bill has been filed and introduced, but no votes have been made on this proposal.
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“I honestly don't know why they're reconsidering it, but I do hope it doesn't get passed,” TAMU student, Bryson Mann said.
A change could be on the horizon for A&M student voters.
“I think every time you do something like this, the whole point is for less people to vote and so I don't see any other reason than to lower the amount of voter participation,” TAMU student, Jace Sims said.
Texas state representatives will soon take on House Bill 3144 — which would remove voting locations from public schools and universities.
That means the city of College Station wouldn't be able to use the only voting location on the A&M campus, The Memorial Student Center, as a polling site.
“The point of it having here is to cater to the students who don't have cars because most of us have to use scooters and bikes, so, I don't think that'd be a good idea because they wouldn't be able to vote,” TAMU student, Roberto Delafuente said.
15ABC sat down with the Brazos County's Elections Administrator, who tells them students have had to vote off-campus in the past.
“The students were very upset that it was removed from campus and so, I think that was one of the main reasons that it was put back on campus,” Brazos County Elections Administrator, Trudy Hancock said.
And she tells 15ABC no matter what happens with the bill, Brazos County will make sure all neighbors get to vote, no matter what.
“We would, I would guess, assume, try to find another location that would be as close to campus as possible. we always have the city hall, College Station City Hall, which is right across the street from campus,” she said.
But Bryson Mann tells 15ABC students who depend on this polling site would not just lose convenience, but also their ability to express their choices.
“Honestly, if you don't pass the bill, then you're letting a ton of other students here let their voice be heard about who they want to elect and who they want to nominate and I feel like passing this bill kind of takes away the opportunity."