Nicole Collier

I’m still under house arrest, confined to a bathroom right now.

When I press that button to vote, I know these maps will harm my constituents — I won’t just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.

I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts.

My constituents sent me to Austin to protect their voices and rights.

My community is majority-minority, and they expect me to stand up for their representation.

I refuse to sign. I will not agree to be in DPS custody.

We need Congress to act and we need them to act now. We are here in person because that`s how important it is to protect everyone`s freedom to vote. And we will keep fighting with everything we have.

The conclusion that we can reach is that those would be targeted against people of color.

This is a practical implication that is going to disenfranchise hundreds and thousands of votes of Texans.

I will meet with anyone if they allow me to talk to them about preserving and protecting the rights of my constituents to be able to have a say in their democracy.

We have seen in a concerted effort in various states to pass legislation that would limit access to the ballot.

Yes, thank you. Absolutely. We found that African Americans often have two jobs, and so being able to vote during the 24-hour period is very helpful.

It will have a disparate impact on people of color.

when the polling locations change, people get used to voting in a particular location, but they change those continuously, then that is a form of suppression

It is all a part of the narrative to politically posture and restrict our freedom to vote.

We cannot out-mobilize racist gerrymandering.

It would not expand access. It would reduce access, and what is happening in Texas is no different.

I would remind everyone that the 13th check, our teachers, retired teachers, have not had a cost-of-living raise in years.

Texas has been found to violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965 every decade since its passage.

There isn't widespread voter fraud. That is the respondent fact.

The Governor not only failed to put on the power grid, but he also defunded the legislature in response and in retribution to the quorum break.

In Texas, in the 2020 general elections, we had the largest turnout of voters since 1992, and in response, we get restrictive legislation that would limit the access to the ballot box.

The truth is, when they can`t win voters, they change the rules.

Our freedom to vote is under attack. And it is happening right in front of our eyes. Too often we`re looking for obvious signs of suppression but suppression doesn`t have to be obvious.