Jolt Action strongly condemns the passage of House Bill 4, a blatant attempt by Texas Republicans to further entrench their power through manipulative redistricting of Texas’ congressional districts. This bill, which was rushed through the House and Senate, represents a direct assault on fair representation and particularly threatens to diminish Brown and Black voting power across our state.

The passage of HB 4 is not just about redrawing district boundaries, it systematically undermines the fundamental voting rights of Latino Texans and other communities of color, effectively disenfranchising their voice from our democracy. While Texas faces numerous pressing challenges that demand immediate attention, Republican leadership has chosen to focus on securing their political future at the expense of fair representation. 

These redrawn districts could significantly impact the day to day lives of Texas families. School districts may see dramatic shifts in funding, crucial social service organizations and nonprofits may find their funding streams reduced,  and healthcare systems depending on district-specific federal grants could completely close. These changes threaten to fragment established community networks and support systems that Texas families have relied upon for generations.

According to Texas State Representative Vince Perez, under the new congressional map proposed under HB 4, every Latino vote is worth only one-third and every Black vote only one-fifth of a white vote. Out of the state’s 38 congressional districts, white voters are positioned to dominate at least 26, meaning that roughly 445,000 white Texans are needed to elect one member of Congress—but approximately 1.4 million Latino and 2 million Black Texans would be needed to win the same election. 

At Jolt Action, we work tirelessly to register and empower Latino communities across Texas, ensuring they are informed and engaged in our democracy. These new maps will drastically reduce their ability to elect representatives who will champion critical issues that matter to Latino families – from immigration reform to economic opportunity and healthcare access.

We remain committed to fighting against this power grab and will continue to advocate for equitable representation for all Texans.