A federal judge has ruled that Texas election officials cannot reject mail-in ballots and applications for ID mistakes.
Around 40,000 mail-in ballot documents have been tossed out by election officials in Texas after lawmakers passed a bill in 2021 that mandates voters provide a drivers license number or the last four digits of their social security number when submitting documentation for mail-in ballots.
U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ruled on Thursday that the law violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ACLU of Texas has called the rules voter suppression that disproportionately affect voters of color, and called the judge’s decision a win for Texas voters.
Judge Rodriguez is expected to issue a final ruling soon, which will also inform the state on how to comply with the ruling.
