Judge blocks Texas governor's order closing remote ballot drop sites
Category: News & Politics
Via: sister-mary-agnes-ample-bottom • 4 years ago • 35 commentsBy: By Josh Gerstein 2 hrs ago (MSN)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Judge blocks Texas governor's order closing remote ballot drop sites
The state of Texas is appealing a federal judge's ruling that overturned Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's order limiting absentee ballot drop-off sites to one per county.
In an order Friday night, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman said the "about-face" by Abbott threatened to disenfranchise disabled and elderly voters who would now have to travel longer distances to drop off their ballots. The judge also said postal service delays and changes created doubts about whether mailed ballots would arrive in time.
Analysts have said limiting large urban counties to one drop-off site could depress Democratic turnout in those strongholds while having little impact in more rural, conservative areas that lean toward the GOP.
Pitman's 46-page ruling issuing a preliminary injunction at the request of civil rights groups did not speculate on why Abbott mandated the closure of the remote drop-off sites, but the judge clearly did not buy the state's claims that allowing multiple locations presented any threat to the integrity of the Nov. 3 election.
"The State's proffered reason of ballot security is a pretext," Pitman wrote. "The Court finds that the October 1 Order does not promote ballot security."
Pitman noted the Supreme Court has repeatedly signaled that, because of the potential for voter confusion, federal courts should rarely grant relief that alters voting procedures in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
But the judge said Abbott was the one disrupting the status quo and said his actions were most likely to cause confusion.
"The October 1 Order is the true source of confusion and disparate treatment among voters," Pitman wrote.
"Governor Abbott's unilateral decision to reverse his July 27 Order after officials already began sending out absentee ballots and just days before the start of early voting in Texas has caused voter confusion," the judge added. "It is apparent that closing ballot return centers at the last minute would cause confusion, especially when those centers were deemed safe, authorized, and, in fact, advertised as a convenient option just months ago."
Within hours of Pitman's ruling, Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs appealed to the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Lawyers from the Texas attorney general's office also urged Pitman to abstain from taking action in the case because of parallel state court lawsuit challenging Abbott's move. But the judge said the urgency of the issue made it unwise to wait for the state court to act.
"The need for adjudication of Plaintiffs' claims is immediate; any delay risks irreparable violation of the a right that the Supreme Court has called 'the essence of a democratic society,'" wrote Pitman.
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Good. Heinous little man.
his order never had the legs to stand on.
He damn sure tried, though.
The GOP knows that the more folk who vote decreases their chances of winning.
Disenfranchising voters is their only path to fascism.
Get out and vote folks. Don't let Putin steal another American election.
Fuck all Russian operatives who show up here.
Good, because, as the Federal Judge knows quite well, the "good old boys" network of Texas GOP politics would delay any State hearings long enough to effectively uphold Abbott's stupid edict.
Such blatant voter suppression. These people have no shame.
Can't wait to vote Greg Abbott out of office.
I bet you voted for Wendy "Pink Shoes" Davis. Wasn't she supposed to win? Turn Texas purple at least?
Didn't even know who she was. I had to look it up. But thank you for your comment anyway.
Maybe you haven't been in Texas long then.
She was a big hit with the media and Democrats all over the country.
If you were in Texas, surely you would remember what made her famous.
Unlike you, I was born and raised here.
If you were in Texas, surely you would remember what made her famous.
When she ran for Governor in 2014, I was extremely ill from cancer treatment and voting wasn't at the top of my to-do list. If you are talking about her pink shoes, it's like I said: I didn't know who she was and had to look her up, pink shoes and all.
No, I wasn't born here. You can credit the US Navy with that. So what?
But I choose to live here, and keep up the best I can with politics, and usually know at least something about the major candidates for statewide offices.
Hope you have made a full recovery.
Spent some time in Texas and destroyed a few Texans. funny how shit happens
Everyone's a tough guy on the internet.
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I have always done the research as to who to vote for.
Seems now it is so much easier.
Anybody who supports Trump I will vote against.
It's a damn good thing for Trump that I don't have assassin genes.
It's a bad thing for Trump that so many of his friends do.
Oh, wow, lucky Trump.
Right.
Would never shoot a president I believe in elections.,
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Why are Republicans afraid of voters?
A Republican congressman recently accused Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of election interference, and called for the British crown to put a stop to it. Apparently, the Duchess, who is still an American citizen, encouraged people to vote. Since when do we try to get foreign governments to prevent our own citizens from encouraging people to vote?
Jason Smith
That's the one. What a dumbass.
Do you have a link?
Odd that Sister knew who I was talking about, but you seem unfamiliar with the story. Does Google work better for her than for you?
How dare someone talk about voting...
What a maroon. How do people like that keep getting elected.
I like this ruling. I think there should be as many places as possible to have drop boxes.
And I think every county should do what my county does--you can vote at any polling station in the county, just walk in, show your ID and vote. Super easy, and with early voting, no long lines, either.
We don't agree on much in the political world but I am 100% in agreement with your comment.
The federal administration and Republican State governors have been trying to suppress mail-in ballots in many States - these and I don't know how many more: North Carolina, Pannsylvania, Florida, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, Texas.....and there is a member on this site who said that it's NOT happening....