Abbott unveils voting integrity legislation despite low instances of Texas fraud

HOUSTON, Texas -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was in Houston on Monday, buoyed by key Republican ally state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, to address voting integrity legislation, ABC affiliate KTRK reported.

Despite Texas Republicans retaining control of the state senate and house, not to mention the Texas Congressional delegation remaining in the GOP majority, the party has voiced concerns over the security of ballots cast from this past November.

In the days after the presidential election, Abbott himself spoke of incidents involving dead people voting, though those weren't to a widespread level.

Abbott's State of the State also ordered the GOP majority in the Texas Capitol to prioritize "election integrity" without mentioning there was no evidence of widespread fraud during the 2020 elections.

The governor's event isn't without a scrutiny or protest, however. Ahead of the event, a protest took place earlier Monday by Harris County community leaders who are accusing Abbott and the people behind Senate Bill 7 of voter supression.

According to the protest, SB 7 "will not only wipe out all of the elections innovations that made Harris County a national leader in voter access but also ensure Texas remains the worst in the nation in voter intimidation and suppression."

Organizers eluded to clashes in the run-up to the November election, chiefly in Harris County, that saw drive-thru balloting, drop box voting and other methods instituted in response to the pandemic.

Despite Republican scrutiny over the county's offerings to voters, a first-ever security task force was introduced.