News (USA)

Texas elections: ‘Why would a man using the ladies’ bathroom ever be a good idea?’

Texas elections: ‘Why would a man using the ladies’ bathroom ever be a good idea?’

HOUSTON, Texas — Some Houston voters who rejected a proposal to grant nondiscrimination protections for gay and transgender people criticized the tactics of supporters.

Voters in the nation’s fourth largest city went to the polls Tuesday to decide the issue.

Susan Hunter said she doesn’t know why anyone would think that men going into a women’s bathroom or swimming pool, locker room would be a good idea. Hunter said it’s not safe and people need to find another solution.

Another voter, Randal Hankla, rejected the measure saying the tactics were being used to frighten people. Hankla says there’s already an ordinance in place for discrimination, so why pile on another rule or law?

Jeff Jansen, who also voted against the proposal, said it was pushing a social agenda that he doesn’t agree with.

About 5.5 percent of Texans in the state’s 15 biggest counties participated in early voting this year. That seems low but marks the strongest participation in a decade for a statewide election featuring proposed constitutional amendments.

Participation was highest in Harris County at around 194,000 early ballots cast representing about 9.4 percent of registered voters. Houston is choosing a new mayor and deciding on a city ordinance banning discrimination against gay and transgender people.

In all, around 499,000 people in the most-populous counties cast ballots before early voting ended Friday. That’s less than last year when the counties saw about 19 percent early-voting participation, but that election included a governor’s race.

The last time early voting in the largest counties topped 5 percent participation for a statewide constitutional amendment election was in 2005, when Texas approved a ban on same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned that this summer.

The polls close at 7 p.m.

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This couple was mercilessly bullied by antigay trolls. How they got their revenge is truly amazing.

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