Justice Department files voting rights lawsuit against Texas

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Spectrum News

The Department of Justice on Thursday filed a voting rights lawsuit against the State of Texas, as well as Texas' Secretary of State, over some of the provisions in the state's recently enacted voting law, Senate Bill 1.

The complaint claims that "certain restrictive voting procedures imposed by" the measure, signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in September, violate the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.

“Our democracy depends on the right of eligible voters to cast a ballot and to have that ballot counted,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland wrote in a statement. “The Justice Department will continue to use all the authorities at its disposal to protect this fundamental pillar of our society.”

The DOJ wrote in a release that "by improperly restricting what assistance in the polling booth voters who have a disability or are unable to read or write can receive," the bill violates Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act.

Read more: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2021/11/04/doj-voting-rights-justice-department-texas

[FBaggins]

2. Interesting that they cite 24-hour voting and drive-thru

Almost nobody does that… how can it be illegal to ban?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Justice Department sues Texas over new voting restrictions

These are two of the easiest to attack voter suppression measures in SB1 that serve no purpose other than to suppress the vote. This is a well done petition drafted by strong attorneys and this case will be fun to watch

Link to tweet

The Justice Department is suing Texas over new voting restrictions that the federal government says will disenfranchise eligible voters and violate federal voting rights law.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in San Antonio challenges the law known as SB1 passed earlier this year to overhaul election procedures in the state.....

The Justice Department lawsuit said the law illegally restricts voters' rights by requiring rejection of mail ballots "for immaterial errors and omissions." The law also harms the rights of voters with limited English proficiency, military members deployed away from home and voters overseas, the Justice Department alleged.

"Before SB 1, the State of Texas already imposed some of the strictest limitations in the nation on the right of certain citizens to voting assistance. SB 1 further, and impermissibly, restricts the core right to meaningful assistance in the voting booth," the Justice Department said.

This case makes me smile

[machoneman]

4. Yes, but, isn't this a pretty narrow view of the many TX restrictions now in place? Glad to see...

...any DOJ suit against TX lawmakers yet I'd hope it gets broader as time passes.