The Justice Department (DOJ) 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 Texas.
The Law, which Bans 24-hour and Drive-thru-Voting, Imposes New Hurdles on Mail-in-Ballots and Empowers Partisan Poll Watchers, was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in September.
The DOJ 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 DOJ said.
Earlier this year, DOJ Sued Georgia over its New Voting Law, similarly arguing a Violation of Federal Voting Rights Law.
The Texas Law passed following a contentious Debate in which some Democrats left the State to try to Prevent its Approval. It was among a spate of similar Laws in Republican-run States, aimed in response to False Claims of Widespread Voter Fraud in the 2020 Election.
"It does make it easier than ever before for anybody to go cast a ballot. It does also, however, make sure it is harder than ever for people to cheat at the ballot box," Abbott said when he signed the Law.
The Lawsuit is the latest Legal Fight between the Biden DOJ and Texas, which are battling in Court over Abortion Rights, Immigration Enforcement, and Vaccine Mandates.
The Law introduced New Mandates requiring Texans who Vote-by-Mail to provide either their Driver's License Number or the Last Four Digits of their Social Security Number Twice: once on their Absentee Ballot Application Forms, and Once on the Envelope in which they Return their Ballots. Those Numbers will then be matched against Voters' Records to Confirm they are who they say they are, a Change from just the Current Signature Matching Process. I don't have a problem with this.
Under the Law, the Texas Secretary-of-State's Office is required to check Monthly to make sure No one is on the State's Voter Rolls who said they were Not a Citizen when Obtaining or Renewing their Driver's License or ID Card. I don't have a problem with this.
It also makes it a Velony for a Public Official to send Someone a Mail-in-Ballot Application the Person did Not Request, or to Pre-fill any Part of any Mail-in-Ballot Application they are Sending to someone. I don't have a problem with this, unless the State was a Mail-Only State.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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