Texan Republicans lose bid to halt drive-through voting but fight continues

By Jan Wolfe

 

FILE PHOTO: A line of cars drive in for an event encouraging community members to vote in the upcoming presidential election at an early voting site in Houston, Texas, U.S., October 25, 2020. Picture taken October 25, 2020. REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare

 

(Reuters) - A group of Texas Republicans have lost one of two legal challenges they brought in the hope of halting drive-through voting in Houston and having more than 120,000 votes thrown out.

 

In a brief order issued on Sunday, the Texas Supreme Court denied a request by conservative activist Steven Hotze and others for an order that drive-through voting violates Texas election law.

 

A nearly identical case brought by the same plaintiffs is pending in federal court. The judge assigned to that case has scheduled an emergency hearing for Monday morning.

 

"Tomorrow we will be in front of a federal judge who will have an opportunity to review the federal claims we have asserted," Jared Woodfill, a lawyer for Hotze, said in an e-mail.

 

Woodfill added that his clients may eventually take their fight to the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

Democratic-leaning Harris County, home to about 4.7 million people, is the third most populous county in the United States. It currently has 10 drive-through polling sites, which are available to all voters.

 

Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins has called drive-through voting a safe alternative to in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Texas, the second largest U.S. state, is traditionally Republican, but polls show a close race between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden with more than 9 million ballots already cast, eclipsing the state's total turnout from the 2016 presidential election.

 

Sunday's order came as little surprise after the state's supreme court on Oct. 22 denied a similar request to halt drive-through voting, in a lawsuit filed by the Republican parties of Texas and Harris County.

 

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Houston is due to hold an emergency hearing on Monday in the federal court action brought by Hotze and other plaintiffs, who include state Representative Steve Toth, a Republican.

 

They want Hanen to direct officials to halt drive-through voting and reject the roughly 127,000 ballots that have already been cast at ten drive-through voting sites.

 

The request to void votes is "wholly unreasonable," Democratic groups, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said on Friday in a motion asking to intervene in the case.

 

"Plaintiffs ask this Court to throw Texas's election into chaos by invalidating the votes of more than 100,000 eligible Texas voters who cast their ballots at drive-thru voting locations at the invitation of county officials and in reliance on the Texas Supreme Court's decision to allow drive-thru voting to proceed," the groups said.

 

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-02

 

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The Texas Supreme Court leans quite conservative. Which is to be expected since Republicans have controlled the Governorship and the Texas senate and house for many years now.

Looks like another failed attempt to suppress the vote I’m sure they will keep trying 

So they wait until 100.000+ votes are cast 

I'm not sure the Republicans are not shooting themselves in the foot, what are the demographics of drive-through voters? Or is it because they voted early?

Democracy is alive and well in America ????,denying people the chance to vote in a safe way, those that are trying to stop voting need to bow their head in shame,but as they will try every dirty trick in the book,they dont give a sh*t.  I am not American, but looking at what's going on in this election,in what's suppose to be the World leader in democracy......very bad. it's more like what occurs in 3rd World dictatorships. 

regards worgeordie

 

37 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm not sure the Republicans are not shooting themselves in the foot, what are the demographics of drive-through voters? Or is it because they voted early?

It's a heavily democrat leaning county. The republicans would probably view making voting much easier only there as unfair. I think voting should be easy everywhere if it can be done securely. I was surprised to read the guy in the booth was instructed to hold onto the electronic card and not hand it in until the issue was resolved. Electronic card? 

 

What we need is a 100% foolproof voting system that is convenient for all. That is incredibly hard to do in spite of all the modern high tech hoopla.

 

44 minutes ago, rabas said:

It's a heavily democrat leaning county. The republicans would probably view making voting much easier only there as unfair. I think voting should be easy everywhere if it can be done securely. I was surprised to read the guy in the booth was instructed to hold onto the electronic card and not hand it in until the issue was resolved. Electronic card? 

 

What we need is a 100% foolproof voting system that is convenient for all. That is incredibly hard to do in spite of all the modern high tech hoopla.

 

 

First off, the Republicans waited until the voting was done to make their complaint. Clearly, it wasn't done to pursue fairness but rather to cut into the Democratic vote.

Second, the law clearly allows for this kind of voting to be done by any county. 

Third, the Texas courts ruled that it was permissible for the governor of the state to assign only one dropoff ballot box to each county despite the huge disparities in population. If that's okay, what were the odds that this lawsuit would succeed?

Republicans having a problem with citizens voting in an election.

 

What’s new?!

7 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I'm not sure the Republicans are not shooting themselves in the foot, what are the demographics of drive-through voters? Or is it because they voted early?

Democrat district 

An inflammatory post has been removed

I hope that the USA never again criticises other countries for unfair elections. 

Voter suppression--- the most undemocratic action of all and practiced by many Republican states..

Utterly disgraceful. 

3 minutes ago, Jonnapat said:

I hope that the USA never again criticises other countries for unfair elections. 

Voter suppression--- the most undemocratic action of all and practiced by many Republican states..

Utterly disgraceful. 

Idle hope.

Not only suppression, but blatant cheating by holding ballots from being sent.

 

https://news.yahoo.com/dozens-undelivered-ballots-found-miami-154748447.html

Republicans will go to great lengths to stop people from their constitutional right to vote.  They no longer have a majority in the USA, so they need to suppress the vote, stack the courts, pass strict state voting laws, file law suits, gerrymander voting districts...anything to disenfranchise voters.

It’s pretty sad-interesting how they are proud of this

12 minutes ago, Redline said:

Republicans will go to great lengths to stop people from their constitutional right to vote.  They no longer have a majority in the USA, so they need to suppress the vote, stack the courts, pass strict state voting laws, file law suits, gerrymander voting districts...anything to disenfranchise voters.

It’s pretty sad-interesting how they are proud of this

To put it simply, they are not interested in democracy, only power at all costs.

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Democracy is alive and well in America ????,denying people the chance to vote

in a safe way, those that are trying to stop voting need to bow their head in

shame,but as they will try every dirty trick in the book,they dont give a sh*t.

I am not American,but looking at what's going on in this election,in what's

suppose to be the World leader in democracy......very bad. it's more like what

occurs in 3rd World dictatorships. 

regards worgeordie

 

As an American, all should be able to understand that if the overwhelming majority of American eligible voters do not reject The Donald and his ilk, then I will have no country to support or defend.

Off-topic post and reply removed.

10 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

As an American, all should be able to understand that if the overwhelming majority of American eligible voters do not reject The Donald and his ilk, then I will have no country to support or defend.

I understand how you feel but NEVER give up the ship we shal overcome this abomination of an administration and trumps minions just lost again so cheer up brother change is a coming we will be a stronger country in the long run because of this mistake imo

Only one party is trying to suppress voting. Isn't that all you really need to know?

11 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

As an American, all should be able to understand that if the overwhelming majority of American eligible voters do not reject The Donald and his ilk, then I will have no country to support or defend.

I understand your sentiment. I've prepared myself to accept if this happens then America has really gone in an ugly direction. I still get a civil service pension so I have to maintain citizenship but I will still condemn the confederate flag ideology. As a previous poster replied to you (paraphrasing) "keep your chins up."

I may well be wrong but I reckon Trump could win this, by a whisker. I'm just not sure that the way the polls are conducted produces an accurate forecast.

35 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

I may well be wrong but I reckon Trump could win this, by a whisker. I'm just not sure that the way the polls are conducted produces an accurate forecast.

What in particular about the way polls are conducted do you find fault with?

On 11/2/2020 at 8:38 AM, worgeordie said:

Democracy is alive and well in America ????,denying people the chance to vote in a safe way, those that are trying to stop voting need to bow their head in shame,but as they will try every dirty trick in the book,they dont give a sh*t.  I am not American, but looking at what's going on in this election,in what's suppose to be the World leader in democracy......very bad. it's more like what occurs in 3rd World dictatorships. 

regards worgeordie

 

 

Totally agree. How the non democratic rulers in China, Russia, Iran, etc must be laughing. And how the  ones in those very corrupt democracies, like India, Pakistan and numerous African states, that are always plagued with huge election process rows must be feeling somewhat more normal now.

 

There were accusations about postal votes in the UK at the last election to. I also remember FB posts claiming vote counting fraud in the Scottish Referendum.

 

Now, just who would be the likely beneficiaries of spreading attacks on the credibility of democracy and democratic processes I wonder?

On 11/2/2020 at 6:20 PM, Sujo said:

To put it simply, they are not interested in democracy, only power at all costs.

 

That appears to be an allegation laid at the door of both parties. 

 

Impeach, fake news, riots, disempower the law, politicize the judiciary, refuse to respect election results. 

 

Notions of a robust but fair campaign, presenting credible facts and policies to an informed electorate are long gone. Now about spite, bile and who can whip up the most accusations and "evidence" to discredit the other.

I hope no American will ever criticize democratic elections in any other country again.

It's a shame how openly the Republican party members try to prevent people from voting.

The virus situation is known since many months. Being not prepared just doesn't count.

In a real democracy every voter should be able to vote the way they want. They can vote for the DEMs or GOP or whatever, it's up to the voter. Voter suppression, especially in some districts with a majority from they "others" should be a crime and the people who suppress voters should go to jail.

3 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

That appears to be an allegation laid at the door of both parties. 

 

Impeach, fake news, riots, disempower the law, politicize the judiciary, refuse to respect election results. 

 

Notions of a robust but fair campaign, presenting credible facts and policies to an informed electorate are long gone. Now about spite, bile and who can whip up the most accusations and "evidence" to discredit the other.

Sure. Joe Biden is attacking the Supreme Court's decisions just as much as is Donald Trump. Yup.

14 hours ago, Tug said:

I understand how you feel but NEVER give up the ship we shal overcome this abomination of an administration and trumps minions just lost again so cheer up brother change is a coming we will be a stronger country in the long run because of this mistake imo

 

I hope so.

 

But like the US, the UK, France, Germany and all others loosely referred to as the Western Democracies, are facing unprecedented challenges and seem to lack the stalwart talented skilled politicians of the past.  

 

Hopefully, this phenomenon will soon pass and brighter, energized visionary politicians will emerge. And all the Western Powers will emerge stronger, better and more enlightened because of it.

 

Otherwise the totalitarian regimes will spread their influence.

1 minute ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I hope so.

 

But like the US, the UK, France, Germany and all others loosely referred to as the Western Democracies, are facing unprecedented challenges and seem to lack the stalwart talented skilled politicians of the past.  

 

Hopefully, this phenomenon will soon pass and brighter, energized visionary politicians will emerge. And all the Western Powers will emerge stronger, better and more enlightened because of it.

 

Otherwise the totalitarian regimes will spread their influence.

Your comments are characterized by both sidesism. The fact is that it's the Republican party which has repeatedly tried to limit access to voting. In this case they waited until votes were cast to challenge the process rather than do so beforehand.

Just now, placeholder said:

Sure. Joe Biden is attacking the Supreme Court's decisions just as much as is Donald Trump. Yup.

 

Joe Biden didn't want to tell anybody about the Supreme Court till after the election. Said voters didn't have the right to know!

 

Wait and see how he, Harris and Pelosi deal with the Courts and verdicts they don't like should the Democrats win, retain the Congress and win the Senate. 

 

If you think they are more honest and transparent then good luck with that!