U.S. judge casts doubt on Abbott's limit to mail-ballot dropoff sites
A federal judge on Thursday signaled he sympathizes with voting rights groups seeking to block Gov. Greg Abbott’s order limiting mail ballot dropoff sites to one per county.
The Oct. 1 proclamation forced several of the state’s largest counties, including Harris and Travis, to get rid of additional boxes they had added for voter convenience and safety during the pandemic.
Abbott said the purpose was to combat voter fraud, though he offered no evidence and election law experts have said it is highly unlikely.
During a hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman appeared unconvinced by the idea that eliminating the additional locations would have no impact on voting accessibility.
The suit before Pitman is one of several challenging Texas election laws and Abbott’s pandemic executive orders amending them that are still swirling, even as the start of early voting approaches.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/U-S-judge-casts-doubt-on-Abbott-s-limit-to-15632609.php
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