Texas House lawmakers debated gun rights and voter protections Wednesday afternoon related to a bill that would allow election judges to carry a weapon inside a polling place at any time.
House Bill 1128, by Rep.
Carrie Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, allows an election judge, early voting clerk, or deputy early voting clerk who is serving as an election judge to carry a concealed handgun at an early voting or Election Day polling place as a means of protection for themselves and others. The bill passed 89 to 53 in the House and will now go to the Senate for approval.
This bill would codify a decision made by Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2018, where he ruled that since district judges can carry firearms to polling places and election judges had been given the authority of district judges, they should also be able to.
Paxton's
opinion explains why a court would take his side in the decision, but it was not legally binding.
Election judges, who are generally civilians
appointed by local party officials to head up a team of poll workers, have many duties, including settling election disputes and keeping the peace at the polls.
Isaac told lawmakers this bill was needed because the elections director for the Texas Secretary of State reported that during the 2024 election, workers endured bomb threats and physical attacks, including thrown water bottles. She said it's becoming harder to retain and recruit poll workers because of this climate, so protections must be put in place at polling locations.
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