AUSTIN, Texas — Nancy Crowther feels her voice is being stamped out.
A quick trip to her ballot box is now an hours-long ordeal because of new Texas voting laws.
"I was tired, hot, thirsty, and kinda ticked off," she said.
Texas is one of at least 20 states that have enacted stricter voting laws since the 2020 election.
Lawmakers who passed the election laws say they did so to prevent voter fraud.
"It's more hoops to jump through," said Molly Broadway, who works with Disability Rights Texas.
Advocates for people with disabilities say fewer ballot boxes, short mail-in time and restrictions on people helping those with disabilities is preventing people from wanting to turn in a ballot.
"If someone needs assistance in filling out the application or the paper ballot, you're putting people who would normally assist a voter at a larger offense of perjury," said Broadway.
Rev Up Texas, a non-partisan organization that educates the disabled community about their voting rights, is starting a statewide campaign. The group plans to meet with lawmakers in hopes of coming to a solution that will make all sides happy.
"We've come a long way, but there's still that fight," Bob Kafka, an organizer with Rev Up Texas.
"It's a luxury to not have to worry about this, but at the same time, it can happen to you in a heartbeat," said Broadway.
Crowther said the harder people make it to vote, the more determined she is to cast her ballot.
"That's why I go out to vote because I want people to see me in line," she said. "It's important to let others see I'm a peer. If I can do it, then everybody else can."
