By Emma PlatoffThe Texas Tribune
Texas voters will not be able to select every candidate of a major political party with one punch, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday, upholding a 2017 state law that ends the popular practice of straight-ticket voting for this year’s general election.
The Texas Legislature acted years ago to end straight-ticket voting in time for the 2020 presidential contest, but a federal judge reinstated the practice earlier this month, citing complications to the voting process caused by the pandemic.
A three-judge panel on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision Wednesday, ruling that the law ending the one-punch option should go into effect even as voters and election administrators contend with the coronavirus pandemic, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s “emphasis that courts should not alter election rules on the eve of an election.”
“The Texas Legislature passed HB 25 in 2017, and state election officials have planned for this election accordingly. The state election machinery is already well in motion,” the judges wrote. Upholding the law and eliminating straight-ticket voting, they wrote, “will minimize confusion among both voters and trained election officials.”
Early voting is set to start Oct. 13 in Texas.
The opinion, which was not signed, came from a panel of three appointees of George W. Bush: U.S. Circuit Judges Edith Clement, Catharina Haynes and Jennifer Walker Elrod. The court had already paused the lower court’s ruling with a brief administrative stay, but Wednesday’s eight-page decision is a firmer word on the matter.
Texas Democrats fiercely opposed ending one-punch voting when it was considered years ago at the Capitol, and it passed largely on party lines. Straight-ticket voting is a popular option among voters of both parties; in 2018, two-thirds of Texas voters used that option. But Democrats fear the loss of the one-punch option will be felt most heavily among their voters, particularly voters of color in large urban counties, where the ballots can stretch on with dozens of local judicial races.
Democratic groups, as well as the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans, had fought to keep the one-punch option in place for this election, arguing it would speed up lines at polling places, meaning voters would spend less time risking exposure to the coronavirus.
They also argued eliminating it would disproportionately affect voters of color and lead to voter drop-off — when voters do not complete their full ballots — especially in the state’s big cities, Democratic strongholds where ballots can stretch on and on.
15 comments:
Imagine that, having to actually think about the candidates before voting! What a novel idea for the Bally.
Fox News anchor Chris Wallace was unable to control the debate — that was clear. How about giving the moderator a mute button for each participant and focusing the camera only on the designated speaker? That could give viewers a better opportunity to understand the response given to each issue and eliminate part of the confusion.
Whether you think Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden won the debate, the biggest loser was the moderator, Chris Wallace. He should have turned off the president’s microphone when he constantly interrupted with loud, off-the-rail insults. The other loser was the American people. I wanted to hear a debate, not a kindergarten bully ranting and raving.
El Paya Jerry McHale posted this today, Juan:
John Reed, the Port of Brownsville commissioner, is the community's version of Donald Trump. He reeks of arrogance. As an Anglo-American, he has put the interests of Harlingen's Anglo-Americans ahead of the interests of Brownsville's fucking Mexican-Americans.
Wow! El Paya is so racist!!!
looks like the democrats have loss there foothold with the masses, too much lies and all asadon theory, me me me. Younger folks dont fall for that and some dont even care to vote any more.
Trump in the Debate: None Dare Call It Treason
He’s now in a fascist halfway house — not able to abolish the election process entirely, but secure enough to wink and nod to neo-Nazi street-fighters.
Juanito WHEN WILL THEY OPEN THE CANTINAS I WANT TO KNOW!
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas counties Thursday to close multiple locations where voters can drop off completed mail-in ballots.
As an election security measure, Abbott said, counties will be limited to one drop-off site where poll watchers — designated by political parties and candidates — must be allowed to observe ballot deliveries by voters.
The new order takes effect Friday, and it modified Abbott’s July 27 order that acknowledged the pandemic’s danger by adding six days of early voting and waiving a state law that limits mail-in ballot drop-off to Election Day only.
Democrats blasted Thursday’s change as a thinly veiled effort to suppress votes in a tight election.
“Republicans are on the verge of losing, so Gov. Abbott is trying to adjust the rules last minute,” said Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party.
(Da Blimp got it wrong, Juan!)
If our local government is so concerned about our well being, why don't they freeze the planned (property) tax increase?
Denise Garza's intelligence speaks for itself because you can hear it in her speech. Stupid people aren't articulate. Language is a huge indicator in whether or not a person is smart or not. Denise is very fluid in public settings.
Trump Judges at play
President Trump and first lady test positive for COVID-19
Not to worry bring in the clorox case close, pay-back (if its true) pinche mentiroso...
Well some common sense so now you will have to vote for the rats that run your life, pick the smallest rat so you can have more cheese for yourself.
He was around a number of people': High-stakes tracing effort begins
He was in close proximity to nancy pelosi and chuck schumer - that's what I heard.
As a Republican, I found President Donald Trump’s reluctance to denounce swastika-wearing, jackbooted white supremacists disappointing and disgusting. I’m a veteran who wore the uniform of this country for nearly 28 years and I’m the son of a World War II combat veteran. When I think of the final years of my father’s life as he approached his 90th year, I can see his battle-scarred legs and the pain he had. I remember wartime comrades.
As a child I sat at their feet and heard their stories. My father and many men like him fought the Nazi white super race in France, then fought them in Belgium, then Germany and Austria. My father spent around 256 days in combat fighting the Nazis.
If the commander in chief can’t condemn them, then I will. I condemn them in the name of my father. And I denounce all such organizations on behalf of all those men and women who never made it back home from the war.
October 1, 2020 at 7:54 PM
Intelligent people DON'T RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE PERIOD...
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