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Federal Judge Rules All voters in Texas Can Cast Ballot by Mail

(Worthy News) – A Democrat federal judge ruled Tuesday that all Texans can apply to vote by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic, VOA reported. Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the state would appeal, describing the ruling by U.S. District Judge Fred Biery as a dismissal of “well-established law.” 

To qualify for casting a ballot by mail, voters in Texas have had to be 65 or older, or have a physical condition that prevents them from voting in person. In this case, the state had argued fear of catching COVID-19 did not qualify as a physical impediment under the law.

Disagreeing with the state, Biery said in his ruling: “Clearly, fear and anxiety currently gripping the United States has limited citizens’ physical movements, affected their mental senses and constricted activities, socially and economically.” As of Wednesday morning, Texas had nearly 50,000 cases of COVID-19 and 1,369 related deaths.

The judge also rejected arguments that increased access to mail-in-voting would result in higher levels of ballot fraud in Texas, saying there was little evidence to support such a claim.

The case in Texas is one of several going through courts around the country. Seeking to expand access to voting by mail, most of the cases are being brought by Democrats.