(Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for MoveOn)
- Country star Willie Nelson headlined the final day of the four-day march against voting legislation in Texas.
- Texas is one of several GOP-led states that have introduced voting bills following the 2020 election.
- The protested legislation proposes several policies, including new ID requirements for voting.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Country music star Willie Nelson has headlined the close of a four-day march in Texas in support of voting rights.
Texas is one of several GOP-led states that has introduced voting and elections bills following the 2020 election – and masses have come out to protest as Democrats call them an attack on voting rights.
Nelson played a short set to close out the rally staged in Austin to close out the rally, which featured the star's 2018 song, "Vote 'Em Out."
"It is important that we ensure the right for EVERY American to vote and vote safely," Nelson said in a statement through the Poor People's Campaign when he announced his participation in the rally in support of Democratic state legislators who bolted for Washington two weeks ago to block GOP-backed voting restrictions.
"Laws making it more difficult for people to vote is un-American and are intended to punish poor people, people of color, the elderly, and disabled – why? If you can't win playing by the rules, then it's you and your platform – not everyone else's ability to vote."
-Conner Board (@ConnerBoard) July 31, 2021
In addition to Nelson, Rev. Barber, the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the campaign, and Beto O'Rourke took the stage.
The voting regulations have been proposed in light of unfounded allegations that the 2020 presidential elections were fraudulent - despite the CISA stating that it was the most secure election in history.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged to schedule a special session to pass the new voting legislation that includes new ID requirements to vote, a ban on drive-thru voting, new regulations for early voting hours, including a ban on 24-hour voting, and a ban on the distribution of mail-in ballot applications.
President Biden has previously stated full support for those fighting the new legislation, saying, "We'll be asking my Republican friends in Congress and states and cities and counties to stand up, for God's sake, and help prevent this concerted effort to undermine our elections and the sacred right to vote. Have you no shame?"