Texas Senate Gives Preliminary OK To New Voting Map

AUSTIN (AP) - The Texas Senate gave preliminary approval to the map of new voting districts for the 31-member chamber.

The plan has prompted complaints from some Democrats that say the new districts would be unfair to them and disenfranchise their voters.

The map is mostly incumbent-friendly, but with notable changes affecting Democrat Wendy Davis of Fort Worth.

Davis' new district would push her deeper into Republican voter territory, dividing Hispanic and black voters and giving Davis a hard run for re-election. Davis' two attempts to redraw her district were shot down along party line votes.

Bill author Sen. Kel Seliger accepted an amendment giving Sen. Judith Zaffirini more of Bexar County. The original map removed San Antonio completely from her district.

Seliger maintains the map doesn't violate the federal Voting Rights Act.

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