Judge puts on hold Texas' limit on drop boxes for absentee ballots

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - A Texas judge on Thursday lifted an order by Republican Governor Greg Abbott that limited counties to a single drop-off location for absentee ballots in the Nov. 3 presidential election, siding with Democrats who have denounced the limit as voter suppression.

"The limitation to a single drop-off location for mail ballots would likely needlessly and unreasonably increase risks of exposure to COVID-19 infections, and needlessly and unreasonably substantially burden voters' constitutionally protected rights to vote," said state court judge Tim Sulak, who sits in Austin, in a short written order.

Abbott's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment but he was expected to appeal.

Texas is a longtime Republican stronghold but this year President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden are fighting a tight race for the state's electoral votes.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/judge-puts-on-hold-texas-limit-on-drop-boxes-for-absentee-ballots/ar-BB1a4y4a?li=BBnb7Kz

[msongs]

1. meanwhile in California repubs are plastering boxes all over the place with impunity nt

[jpak]

2. FU Abbott unamerican sick fuck

Yup

[appalachiablue]

3. Blatant voter suppession; were's the VRA.

[GB_RN]

4. I'm Confused

A federal judge put Abbot’s order on hold, then a panel of three (tRump) appeals court judges stayed the injunction temporarily and then permanently. How does a state judge override that? Is there some state law that manages precedence here?

[yellowdogintexas]

5. this Texan is getting whiplash from all the flips on this

Harris County did a really neat workaround. The Election Code states only one vote by mail drop off per county. Usually this is the elections office.

So Harris County established ONE location. In an arena with lots of parking and easier access than the office itself. With drive through drops. By doing this, the workers are not overwhelmed by ballot drops and can do their other work. I looked on the website and that location will be open for one 24 hour period towards the end of the voting period.

If voting in person, there are over 100 Early vote locations, and on Election day nearly 400 and voters may go to any convenient location

We have drive through drops here in Tarrant, which encircle the Elections Office.

It is important to know that in prior years, we could only drop off a ballot on Election Day. The Governor's proclamation moving the runoff dates also expanded the drop off dates to allow voters to drop off their ballots pretty much as soon as they receive them which is late September , all the way through Election Day.