State Rep. Carrie Isaac (R-37) has introduced a bill to the Texas House of Representatives that would remove voting locations from state public schools and universities. If passed, it would prohibit the voting location normally located in the Memorial Student Center at Texas A&M.
The Memorial Student Center, or MSC, is the only voting location available at A&M’s campus. But under House Bill 3144, officials would be unable to designate it as a polling place unless the entire university is closed for voting as well.
In 2022, the Brazos County Commissioner’s Court removed the site as an early voting location for that year’s midterm elections, forcing those who wanted to vote at the MSC to wait until Election Day. Some waited more than an hour to cast their ballot, with over 200 voters in line after 7 p.m. on election night.
The MSC was reinstated in 2023 after community members, including students and advocacy group representatives, pushed for it at Commissioners Court meetings. It was also available for the general election in November 2024.
Isaac previously filed House Bill 2390 in the 88th Legislature two years ago, which also banned polling locations on college campuses. The bill died in committee soon after. According to KBTX, Brazos County Election Commissioner Trudy Hancock said the county will work to implement new voting locations closer to campus if the bill passes.
