Houstonians worry new laws will deter voters who don’t recall the hard-won fight for voting rights

BY AYANNA ALEXANDER
Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Texas Republicans passed measures this year to eliminate Harris County’s top election job and give the Republican secretary of state power to take oversight of elections in Houston. The laws are hung up in court, but if the state Supreme Court clears the way, they would take effect Sept. 1. That could change the way elections are run in the state’s biggest city and one of its most diverse places. Some voters of color in Houston worry that the legislative actions will further discourage people who aren’t old enough to remember the hard-won fight for voting rights. The first test could come in November as Houston voters elect a new mayor.