In a victory for democracy, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen rejected an effort by GOP activists and candidates to nullify over 127,000 ballots cast by Harris County voters using drive-thru voting. The three GOP candidates who filed the lawsuit waited until voters had already cast their ballots in good faith, months after Texas’s Republican Secretary of State had approved Harris County’s drive-thru voting plan, to challenge this process.
Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Executive Director Hany Khalil said: “More than 5,000 union members voted at drive-through polling centers to minimize COVID exposure. We applaud Judge Hanen’s rejection of Republican efforts to disenfranchise Harris County voters. No one should have their vote thrown away because they were looking out for the health of themselves, their families, and communities. Working families’ votes count, and our votes must be counted.”
The GOP effort to toss properly-cast votes – almost 10% of total ballots cast during early voting in Harris County – on the eve of the final day of election season would have disenfranchised tens of thousands of Texans who followed the rules, made a plan to vote, and exercised their constitutional right to vote.
Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy said: “This lawsuit is outrageous, and it’s well past time for Republican officeholders and candidates to join us in speaking out. We all must set aside partisanship and focus on protecting the democratic values that form the bedrock of our society. Every vote must be counted.”