Deeper Look: An 87-Year-Old Latina Woman Tastes Voter Intimidation in Texas
Voter Intimidation Watch: Texas and Ken Paxton Step into the Spotlight
Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old volunteer with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), was alone at home one night last week when there was a sharp knock on her door — “Police! Open up!” Then a SWAT team of police officers raided her home, part of Texas AG Ken Paxton’s ongoing campaign against largely nonexisten “voter fraud.” Martinez was targed for her work with LULAC, which Paxton accuses of registering undocumented immigrants to vote. The police confiscated her phone and computer, and made her wait outside in her nightbgown for three hours while they searched her house.
“I said let me get dressed and they said no, you go outside,” Martinez recalled in an interview. Asked what she was wearing: “My nightgown, and I had all these policemen around me. It was embarrassing, humiliating, I was so angry. It was horrible.”
Martinez, who has dedicated her life to civic engagement, described the event as terrifying. “They scared the hell out of me,” she recounted.
Ken Paxton’s Role in Voter Suppression
This incident didn’t occur in isolation. It is part of a broader strategy orchestrated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has made combating alleged voter fraud a central issue of his tenure. Paxton’s office has aggressively pursued cases of supposed voter fraud, frequently targeting minority communities and organizations like LULAC that are dedicated to expanding voter access.
Critics argue that these actions are less about protecting the integrity of elections and more about suppressing votes in communities that are increasingly likely to challenge the political status quo in Texas. The fear and anxiety generated by such aggressive tactics can have a chilling effect on voter registration efforts, deterring volunteers and would-be voters alike.
LULAC Planning to File Civil Rights Charges
LULAC is planning to file civil rights charges in response to the raid on Lidia Martinez’s home. The organization is working with national leaders and attorneys to draft a formal complaint with the U.S. Justice Department, requesting a federal investigation into the actions of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the police involved in the raids. LULAC argues that these actions are a deliberate attempt to intimidate Latino voters and volunteers, violating their civil rights and undermining democratic processes.
Texas is In Play
What is driving these extreme measures? The answer lies in the changing political landscape of Texas. Once a reliably red state, Texas is now a battleground. The state’s growing Latino population and shifting demographics have made it more competitive, and the Republican establishment is feeling the pressure. Paxton’s aggressive actions are seen by many as a response to this fear of losing control.
As Texas becomes increasingly competitive, the stakes are higher than ever. The actions taken against volunteers like Martinez are not just about voter suppression—they are about maintaining political power in a state where the balance is beginning to shift.
The Impact on Democracy
Voter intimidation, particularly against those who work to empower marginalized communities, is a significant problem. The same apparatus that the democratic party and Harris campaign have put in place to protect against vote certification mischief in Georgia and elsewhere, needs to be brought to bear on this and similar problems in Texas and elsewhere.
We’ll be watching.