Georgia Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Allowing Early Voting on Saturday, Dec. 6 in Texas
The ruling held that the Voting Rights Act does not require a state that has a history of voter suppression to post any list of voting sites or times in a public place, including on its website as a condition for complying with the National Voter Registration Act.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement that the ruling would likely set a “dangerous precedent for Texas,” which is considering the changes to its voter laws.
“The Supreme Court’s decision today is a complete loss for Texas voters,” Paxton said. “We believe the court’s ruling today will set a dangerous precedent for Texas.”
The Supreme Court ruling, which was released shortly before 2 p.m., was a win for a group of voters, including the ACLU of Texas, Advancement Project and the Texas Civil Rights Project, which said it would seek a stay in front of the Supreme Court.
Texas has been sued by the NAACP for attempting to change its voter laws, which would allow voter-approved primaries to replace local municipal elections. The NAACP filed suit in 2015. Texas then asked the Supreme Court to intervene and, in June, they did, citing the Voting Rights Act that prevents states from changing their voting laws without federal approval.
Texas is known for its strict voter ID law. The NAACP, in a press release, said this meant that “voter suppression is the only way that Texas can get a black man elected to a Texas school board.”
The move to get advance permission was successful, but it could create problems for other parts of Texas.
The Supreme Court is also likely to consider a challenge to the Voter Integrity and Monitoring Commission Act by conservative state attorney Richard Hasen, who is challenging former Texas Secretary of State David Whitley for appointing the commission. The commission is meant to enforce the Texas Election Code, particularly requiring voters to present Texas driver’s licenses or some form of photo ID.
The Supreme Court has heard arguments on a case before them, where the Court asked for written arguments after the state said that the National Voter Registration Act required Texas to post a list of voting
