The suit is the newest front in an escalating conflict over elections between the Republicans who dominate state government and the Democrats who control the state’s major cities.

Paxton earlier this year struck down the county's efforts to provide monthly stipends to lower-income families. He requested the state prohibit payments under the county's pilot guaranteed income program.

A district court judge in San Antonio ruled against the Texas attorney general’s attempt to stop one of the state’s biggest counties from mailing voter registration applications to a large number of unregistered voters.