Texas Supreme Court DENIES Republican effort to invalidate over 126,000 ballots in Harris Co., Texas

[bigtree]

Link to tweet

Garrett Haake @GarrettHaake 4m
Big win for Harris County and for Texas voter access. The Texas Supreme Court has denied a Republican petition to toss 100k+ ballots cast at drive throughs during early votes. Still a federal court hearing tomorrow but Texas court saying all good is wind in the sails of Harris.

Garrett Haake @GarrettHaake
One of Harris County’s attorneys told me now they can go before federal judge and argue: If Texas Supreme Court says this follows Texas law, who are you to say otherwise?

Link to tweet

[Dem2]

1. Good

As it should be.

[babylonsister]

2. This is a BFD!!! nt

[ananda]

19. I know! Whew.

I know people in Houston who used the
drive-through at Rice Stadium.

And they are Dems!

[RandySF]

3. whew

[ornotna]

4. Excellent news n/t

[OKNancy]

5. It's not completely a dead issue

Unfortunately we still have to go through the federal court emergency hearing on Monday

[Susan Calvin]

20. Just goes to show their desperation

That they even filed that.

[dalton99a]

6. Now Republicans will ask the Republican federal judge to overrule the Republican Texas Supreme Court

[Nevilledog]

7. The State Court is not the problem. It's the Fed. Court they're counting on.

[liberalla]

25. Is it too much to hope the fed backs the TX supreme court?

I can't believe the feds like being told what to do, or following the wishes of knobhead.

[Nevilledog]

26. My understanding is the Fed judge they drew is rabid right-wing nut job.

[liberalla]

29. Yikes. I guess we'll see...

thanks

[groundloop]

37. And don't forget that THIS is exactly why Moscow Mitch pushed through Barrett

Packing the Supreme Court with right wingers was FAR more important than mundane little stuff like pandemic relief.

[LeftInTX]

40. There will be appeal to the 5th Court

I know they're conservative, but my hunch is the state might back the Texas SC. (I don't know)

[SWBTATTReg]

8. Good! A ridiculous attempt on the part of TX republicans to deny the vote of thousands and ...

thousands of Texans. I hope that these folks remember this down the road, that the republicans are trying desperately to steal your votes. I hope that the voters in TX put in safeguards and such, to prevent such blatant efforts to steal the vote (and not just in TX either). There needs to be a nationwide ban reinserted on the GOP for their constant efforts to destroy/delay/etc. all votes and voting by everyday Americans.

[PatSeg]

9. Thank goodness

[LisaL]

11. It's not over by a long shot.

There is still a hearing before a conservative judge tomorrow.

[PatSeg]

14. It is so hard to keep

up with republicans during an election. It is like playing whack-a-mole, there is no limit to their underhanded and dishonest tactics.

[LAS14]

10. Could someone give us a brief summary of what this was about? TIA LAS

[LisaL]

12. Harris county had 10 locations where voters could cast ballots while remaining in their cars.

Republicans are trying to get all those votes (127K) thrown out.

[niyad]

18. On what grounds?

[babylonsister]

24. It's Un-American?

Oh, and hogwash.


"It’s wholly un-American": Harris County drive-thru voters await court rulings as Texas Republicans push to invalidate 127,000 votes
A conservative activist and three Republican candidates have asked state and federal courts to toss the votes and shut down drive-thru voting in the state's most populous, and largely Democratic, county.
by Jolie McCullough Oct. 31, 202017 hours ago

snip//

The plaintiffs, all Republicans, are conservative activist Steven Hotze, state Rep. Steve Toth of The Woodlands, congressional candidate Wendell Champion and judicial candidate Sharon Hemphill. They argue that the county’s new drive-thru voting sites are an illegal expansion of curbside voting and violate Texas election law and the U.S. Constitution. Curbside voting, a separate option long available under Texas election law, requires workers at every polling place to deliver onsite curbside ballots to voters who are “physically unable to enter the polling place without personal assistance or likelihood of injuring the voter's health.”

more...

https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/31/harris-county-drive-thru-votes/

[bigtree]

15. Texas republicans basically want to throw out all 'drive-through' ballots

Texas Supreme Court allows drive-through voting to continue
https://theleadernews.com/city/texas-supreme-court-allows-drive-through-voting-to-continue/

Link to tweet

[Hoyt]

13. Great. Federal Courts -- including SC -- seem to be siding with states in most cases.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. Good news

[spanone]

17. YES!!!!

[Roland99]

21. Finally! Good guys win!

[qanda]

22. We call this a victory?

It's a travesty that this is even necessary. 😡

[keithbvadu2]

23. Sabotage the PO. Sabotage the ballots. Sabotage voters' rights.

Republican scum

[Blue Owl]

27. In yo FACE, tRump!

[Initech]

28. OWNED!!!

[bucolic_frolic]

30. I don't see how courts can invalidate votes cast in good faith

Surey a Federal Judge in Texas will find a way. Not following the law.

At some point courts must admit citizens follow the laws and what they're told.

[Locutusofborg]

31. And now the bad news

The Republicans also appealed in federal court and the judge is a right winger. "The Republican plaintiffs, however, are pursuing a similar lawsuit in federal court, hoping to get the votes thrown out by arguing that drive-thru voting violates the U.S. constitution. A hearing in that case is set for Monday morning in a Houston-based federal district court, one day before Election Day. A rejection of the votes would constitute a monumental disenfranchisement of voters — drive-thru ballots account for about 10% of all in-person ballots cast during early voting in Harris County."
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/11/01/texas-drive-thru-votes-harris-county/

[KentuckyWoman]

32. I'd sure like to know what the actual argument is.

After testing the approach during the July primary runoff with little controversy, Harris County, home to Houston, set up 10 drive-thru centers for the fall election to make early voting easier for people concerned about entering polling places during the pandemic. Voters pull up in their cars, and after their registrations and identifications have been confirmed by poll workers are handed an electronic tablet through their car windows to cast ballots.

It was used in July and not challenged.
The voter's registration and ID is checked the same as walk up voting.
The voters in the car use the same digital voting system as walk up voting.

I'd be mighty curious to see the exact legal argument that this "violates the US Constitution".

[LeftInTX]

41. Even though the judge is crazy

There is no way to validate whether someone is disabled or not disabled.
Election workers cannot tell. It is not their job.

There are federal laws to determine whether someone is disabled under the Social Security act, but this judge would be crazy to try to apply the laws. This is due to confidentiality, HIPAA laws, the entire works. He would be totally crazy. Even the 5th Appeals and USSC would not agree if he does. What are you gonna do, send voters to an administrative law judge?

[TexasBushwhacker]

33. Hallelujah!

You can't tell people people they can vote one way and then toss their votes! The only reason Harris County had drive through voting is because Abbot said they could only have one drop off box, in a county with 4.7 Million residents!

[panader0]

34. Utterly absurd for the repubs to try this---it's blatant voter suppression.

Still, it's correct that it was denied.

[JohnnyRingo]

35. Yipeeee! Expect a tweet of disapproval any time now.

I really wasn't sure how this would turn out. You'd think no justice would want to be known for suppressing votes in a democratic society, but they are Texas judges appointed by republicans (I assume).

Trump will label this as judicial fraud.

[Mersky]

36. Yay!!! Hollered this through my house and everybody cheered

Voting in Texas shouldn’t be as hard as it is, and drive thru voting should be everywhere in this state — especially during a frickin’ pandemic!

[napi21]

38. GREAT! Is DT crying yet? Damn, he even put his new surrogate on the court. TS Donnnie! nt