In Denying a Temporary Injunction in State of Texas v. Chris Hollins, a District Judge has Ruled that the State of Texas may Not Prevent the Harris County Clerk from Sending Election Materials and Resources, including Ballot-by-Mail Applications, to the County’s Registered Voters.
The Court specifically Rejected Texas’s Arguments that the Planned Mailing Exceeded the County Clerk’s Authority under the Texas Elections Code.
“This is a victory for Texas voters against a blatant attempt at voter suppression,” said Gary Bledsoe, President of the Texas NAACP. “Make no mistake: If the Texas Attorney General were allowed to block the clerk’s plan, people would be forced to go to the polls who may have had an option to stay away. The more people who vote in person, the greater the risk of contracting the virus, and so voters would have to choose between their vote and their health.”
The Texas State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (the NAACP) and the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL's) Southwest Region, Represented by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and Dechert LLP, Submitted a Brief in Support of Harris County on September 8th.
By Sending Ballot-by-Mail Applications to All Registered Voters, Harris County will provide Easier Access to a Safe Method of Voting for High-Risk Populations for COVID-19. The County’s planned Mailing would also Benefit Voters by encouraging those who are Eligible for Mail Ballots to Submit their Applications Early, reducing the likelihood of Surges in Applications that could Slow Down Processing, and by providing Accurate Information and Guidance to Voters about the Changes in Voting necessitated by the Pandemic.
After Claiming that the Planned Mailing would Promote Fraud and sow Confusion, the Texas Attorney General Failed to introduce Evidence regarding Fraud to the Court, nor that the Clerk’s Plan would Confuse Voters.
“The Texas Attorney General should be ridding the state of voter suppression, not spreading debunked myths about voter fraud,” said Myrna Perez, Director of the Voting Rights and Elections Program at Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. “In tough times, Texas voters need their politicians to be on our side.”
Harris County, which has 2.4 Million Registered Voters, is One of the Largest Voting Jurisdictions in the U.S. and One of the Nation’s most Racially Diverse Counties.
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