We are in the Courts!
Two wins!
Mail-in ballot signature process:Richardson v. Hughs
A federal district judge issued a temporary ruling on 9-8-20 that gives the Secretary of State the option of either advising counties to not use the signature matching process at all, or advising counties that if they do use it, then they must give the voter at risk of rejection a meaningful opportunity to cure.The Court plans to revisit the issue after the election to enter orders necessary for future elections. The decision is likely to go through the appeal process.
Motor Voter law:Stringer v. Hughs
A federal judge ruled on 8-28-20 that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) must comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and allow people to register to vote at the same time that they apply for a driver's license or seek to renew a driver's license. The DPS has stated that it is now in compliance with this ruling.
Other recent legal actions:
Harris County Clerk’s authority to send applications for mail-in ballots to all registered voters challenged – the TexasAttorney General sued the Harris County Clerk to stop him from sending unsolicited applications to vote by mail. The lower courts found that the Harris County Clerk did have the authority. The Texas Supreme court just recently heard arguments in the case and will issue a ruling shortly.
Governor Abbott’s authority to extend the time for early voting has been challenged by several individuals, including Republican lawmakers. The case is before the Texas Supreme Court.
LWVTX joined LWVFL and LWVCA in filing briefs in support of lawsuits filed in NY, DC, and CA challenging President's memorandum directing the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Census count. The court in the NY case granted injunction barring the administration’s exclusion of undocumented immigrants and declared that the President’s memorandum was unlawful. The cases are proceeding.