Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has launched a lawsuit against Travis County, accusing the county of illegally hiring a third-party company for voter registration activities. The lawsuit, filed Friday, alleges that Civic Government Solutions, the company hired by Travis County, was tasked with tracking down unregistered voters, a move Paxton argues violates state law.

The involvement of Civic Government Solutions has drawn additional scrutiny due to its CEO’s expressed interest in supporting progressive candidates, raising concerns about potential bias in voter registration efforts. “Travis County has blatantly violated Texas law by paying partisan actors to conduct unlawful identification efforts,” Paxton stated. He added that programs like these “invite fraud and reduce public trust in our elections.”

Hector Nieto, spokesperson for Travis County, defended the county’s actions, stating that it is their responsibility to encourage voter participation while ensuring the integrity of the registration process. Nieto criticized Paxton’s lawsuit, saying it discourages electoral participation.

This lawsuit follows a similar one filed earlier in the week against Bexar County, where Paxton accused officials of violating state law by using Civic Government Solutions to distribute voter registration forms.

Paxton’s legal actions highlight a broader debate over voter registration procedures and election integrity in Texas as the 2024 election season approaches.