Texas governor to close mail-in ballot drop-off boxes, limiting one per county

Eric

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The state can open everything in the middle of a pandemic, but is shutting down nearly all drop-off boxes. Unbelievable.

More from the Independent
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the removal of mail-in ballot drop-off locations across the state, limiting to just one drop-off point per county.
The order, effective on 2 October, also requires that voting clerks allow poll watchers to observe ballot delivery.

Governor Abbott, a Republican, said election security and Covid-19 concerns prompted the order, though Texas Democrats argued that it’s a last-minute attempt to suppress votes despite court rulings that have determined it’s too late to change election rules, as millions of Americans have already cast ballots during early voting across the US just weeks before Election Day.

State election officials expanded vote-by-mail efforts in the state, bracing for a greater demand for absentee ballots during the pandemic to prevent crowding in-person polling locations on Election Day.

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Mark

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the new mechanics in place are daunting for seniors, infirmed, for people with immune system problems, and for people without a car, living in HUGE county.

i think the specific technique to suppress voting in this case is: if you want to vote by mail then send it in through the post (but we will of course find reasons to then discount yr vote). so travel to the single drop off location and wait in line for "checking" of yr signature/id.

quote
Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said "to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous."

Democratic groups are weighing fiing a lawsuit as soon as tomorrow challenging Abbott's order, according to one party source who was not authorized to speak on the record.

The ballot drop-off locations are staffed, and voters must present an approved form of identification to deliver their ballots. They may not turn in ballots for other voters.
quote
 

lizkat

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the new mechanics in place are daunting for seniors, infirmed, for people with immune system problems, and for people without a car, living in HUGE county.

i think the specific technique to suppress voting in this case is: if you want to vote by mail then send it in through the post (but we will of course find reasons to then discount yr vote). so travel to the single drop off location and wait in line for "checking" of yr signature/id.

quote
Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said "to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous."

Democratic groups are weighing fiing a lawsuit as soon as tomorrow challenging Abbott's order, according to one party source who was not authorized to speak on the record.

The ballot drop-off locations are staffed, and voters must present an approved form of identification to deliver their ballots. They may not turn in ballots for other voters.
quote

Yeah. Brutal. Trump already made a big deal about suggesting mailed-in ballots are variously fraudulent (Dems) or will get lost or mishandled (Republicans, military). But now the Texas-turning-blue but still red state's governor Abbot says oh and by the way we're only gonna have one drop box per county as an alternative to mailing your ballot, or somehow transporting it or yourself to the drop location and wait through the validation process so you decide, and have a nice day.

Gee I can't imagine Trump subsequently challenging the Texas electors' votes if the count doesn't go his way, can you?
 

SuperMatt

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We need more than a law to protect voting rights this time around. The SCOTUS has already shown they will invalidate it to protect their “side” of the political spectrum. A constitutional amendment is needed. National standards, bans on gerrymandering, etc. If only some people are allowed to vote, we are NOT a democracy.
 

JayMysteri0

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Or is it too late for a just court to help?
Even if it is, it still has to go to court, and the governor held accountable. Even in it's most basic form, there is no rational logic behind his decision, except one made out of fear of losing. That alone demands accountability. If afterward a rash of spikes appears at those locations, after demanding closure of other locations & opening up everything else, has to show an indifference to the safety of the people he was elected to govern. No matter what accountability is necessary, or this fuckery will grow.
 

Scepticalscribe

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This is exactly the sort of thing I feared would happen; a possible court challenge strikes me as more than sensible.
 

lizkat

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I just hope it goes to a court without one of Trump’s inexperienced but right leaning judges.

Mitch just got a rubber stamp for another one the ABA had marked as unqualified the other day. I didn't even go look up the details to make myself crazy for ten minutes for no good reason.

The ABA's standing committee on the federal judiciary bases its ratings on three criteria: integrity, professional competence, and judicial temperament.

When the Committee evaluates “integrity,” it considers the nominee’s character and general reputation in the legal community, as well as the nominee’s industry and diligence.
“Professional competence” encompasses such qualities as intellectual capacity, judgment, writing and analytical abilities, knowledge of the law, and breadth of professional experience.
In evaluating “judicial temperament,” the Committee considers the nominee’s compassion, decisiveness, open-mindedness, courtesy, patience, freedom from bias and commitment to equal justice under the law.

Although the preponderance of jurists confirmed on Trump's watch through 9/1/20 have been considered well qualified (69%) or qualified (21%), 4% so far were tagged unqualified and another 6% ended up w/ split decisions, so "qualified/unqualified". link

Could it be so hard to at least pick all well-qualified conservatives?
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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In opposite land CA Republicans are actually putting up their own ballot drop boxes (by churches and gun stores) and Democrats are pissed off about it (because they predict these ballots will just disappear). But apparently, this is all legal and made legal by Democrat legislation.

I honestly don't see how all this isn't going to play out without massive widespread violence and at the end of it I hope Trump ends up taking a dirt nap.
 

Eric

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In opposite land CA Republicans are actually putting up their own ballot drop boxes (by churches and gun stores) and Democrats are pissed off about it (because they predict these ballots will just disappear). But apparently, this is all legal and made legal by Democrat legislation.

I honestly don't see how all this isn't going to play out without massive widespread violence and at the end of it I hope Trump ends up taking a dirt nap.
Actually, what they're doing is not legal:

Setting up drop boxes and falsely labeling them “official,” by contrast, is not legal “ballot harvesting.” It’s likely a criminal offense. California law) strictly regulates the creation and use of ballot boxes and bars private citizens from establishing them. Moreover, the statute that allows third parties to collect ballots requires voters to formally “designate” the “person” who will return their ballot to election officials. This person must sign the ballot envelope and provide both their name and relationship to the voter.
 
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