AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF) – Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Wednesday, opposing a ruling by a federal court in San Antonio that allows anyone to vote by mail.
The ruling came as many Texans have expressed concern over contracting COVID-19 at the polls.
“Mail-in ballots are vulnerable to fraud,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Two-thirds of all election fraud cases prosecuted by my office involve mail ballot fraud, also known as ‘vote harvesting.’ Allowing widespread mail-in ballots will lead to greater fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters.”
Paxton said mail-in ballots in Texas are examples of protections specifically created to aid those with a true disability or illness that renders them incapable of voting in-person. He does not believe fear of contracting coronavirus should fall under this category.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Governor Abbott already has made a temporary order expanding the early voting period for the July elections. He said local election officials have many other mechanisms available to them to ensure safe and fair elections, including sanitizing voting machines and areas and implementing social distancing.
Late Wednesday the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a temporary administrative stay in the case, essentially blocking the previous ruling.
I applaud the Fifth Circuit for issuing this temporary stay while the case proceeds. Protecting the integrity of elections is one of my top priorities, and allowing universal mail-in ballots would only lead to greater fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters, said Attorney General Paxton. Law established by the Legislature must be followed consistently, including carefully limiting who may and may not vote by mail.
Listen to Clayton Neville’s story below:
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