Texas
Related: About this forumU.S. Supreme Court Rejects Texas Democrats' Effort to Expand Voting by Mail During Pandemic
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an initial bid by state Democrats to expand voting by mail to all Texas voters during the coronavirus pandemic.
Justice Samuel Alito whose oversight of federal courts includes cases coming through Texas on Friday issued the court's denial of the Texas Democratic Partys request to let a federal district judge's order to expand mail-in voting take effect while the case is on appeal. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ruled in May that Texas must allow all voters fearful of becoming infected at polling places to vote by mail even if they wouldnt ordinarily qualify for mail-in ballots under state election law. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stayed Biery's order while Texas appeals his ruling.
The decision means the states strict rules to qualify for ballots that can be filled out at home will remain in place for the July 14 primary runoff election, for which early voting starts Monday. Under current law, mail-in ballots are available only if voters are 65 or older, cite a disability or illness, will be out of the county during the election period or are confined in jail.
https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2020/06/27/us-supreme-court-rejects-texas-democrats-effort-to-expand-voting-by-mail-during-pandemic
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,811 posts)I think the first thing I'll check out is how easy they make it to vote. I will only move to one with good advance voting, and easy access to absentee ballot.
Not that you could pay me enough money to move to Texas.
onecaliberal
(32,770 posts)Coleman
(851 posts)1. Does the denial of mail in ballots violate a federal law?
2. Does it violate The Constitution?
The answer to both is no.
FBaggins
(26,714 posts)The decision wasnt on the merits. They just declined to force the lower court to implement the change before even hearing the appeal.
Thats a pretty high bar to meet. If only the D.C. circuit was as careful