'Vote them out': Willie Nelson headlines Texas protest rally
Source: AP
By ACACIA CORONADO
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Country music legend Willie Nelson led more than a thousand spectators in singing “vote them out” Saturday from the steps of the Texas Capitol during a rally wrapping up a four-day march in support of Democratic state legislators who bolted for Washington two weeks ago to block GOP-backed voting restrictions.
Families with lawn chairs spread out across the sprawling Capitol greens in Austin. Clergy, politicians, constituents and musicians all spoke out about the proposals to impose voter ID requirements, limit ballot drop boxes and mail voting, and strip local officials of their election authority.
The special session that the exodus by Texas Democrats halted is set to expire next week, but Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged to schedule a new one as soon as the lawmakers return to the state.
“If you don’t like who’s in there, vote them out,” Nelson sang, inviting he crowd to join him in singing lyrics he’d previously written about taking a stand at the ballot box.
Beto O’Rourke, former Democratic congressman and presidential candidate, speaks at a rally for voting rights in Texas at the Capitol in Austin, Texas on Saturday, July 31, 2021. Hundreds of people packed the steps of the Texas Capitol as a protest rally which began Wednesday and ended Saturday with participants marching up to the doors of the Texas Capitol building. (AP Photo/Acacia Coronado)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-entertainment-music-texas-voting-rights-36a497247a044d7912f1aa1a88a06447
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