The Independent View: TX Supreme Court Denies GOP Petition Seeking to Invalidate Votes in Houston Area

The Texas Supreme Court Denied a Petition, Sunday Nov. 1st, by a Group of Republicans seeking to Invalidate nearly 127,000 Drive-thru-Ballots in Harris County, while a Similar Case awaits a Decision in Federal Court just Two Days before Election Day.

This is the Second Time in recent Weeks the, All-Republican Supreme Court in Texas, has Blocked attempts to Dismantle Drive-thru-Voting there. The Court did Not Issue an Opinion with the Ruling. The Petition was filed last Week and Argued that Drive-thru-Voting Violated Federal Law.

The Plaintiffs, a Republican Activist and Three Republican Candidates for Elected Office in Texas, also filed a Suit in Federal Court, which has an Emergency Hearing, Monday Oct. 2nd Morning, in Houston.

Harris County Clerk, Chris Hollins, has Staunchly Defended the Practice of Drive-thru-Voting, calling it a Legal and Safe Option amid the Pandemic. "We know that the law is on our side," he said after the Supreme Court Issued its Ruling. "We know that we should be protecting these votes, making sure that all of our residents here can have their voice heard, can have their say in our democracy."

Ten of Harris County's 120 Early Voting Sites are Drive-thru-Locations. As of Friday, nearly 127,000 Votes had been Cast at those Sites, with roughly 10% of the Votes Cast-in-Person during the Early Voting Period.

While Curbside Voting in Harris County is Limited to Voters with a Disability and Located at All Polling Sites, the Drive-thru-Voting Locations are Open to All Voters.

The latest State and Federal Challenges argue that Drive-thru-Voting Violates the U.S. Constitution, which says State Legislatures decide how Elections are Run. The Plaintiffs also argued it Violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, in that, the County is Adopting a Manner of Voting that has Not been Adopted by other Texas Counties.

Republican State Rep. Steve Toth, who's Listed on the Petition as a Plaintiff and who's Runing for Re-Election, argued it's the Job of the State Legislature, Not Local Counties, to Implement Changes such as Drive-thru-Voting. He also Criticized the State Supreme Court's Decision last Week. He Represents South Montgomery County, just North of Harris County.