Convenience Big Store: Federal judge junks chunk of 2021's controversial Texas election reform bill

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Texas can't reject mail-in ballots over ID mistakes, judge rules

You'd be forgiven for thinking we were done talking about the Republican-pushed 2021 elections bill, which dominated much of the political year and led to multiple Democratic walkouts that paralyzed the Legislature.

But nothing is ever truly settled, especially not in Texas politics.

A federal judge in San Antonio ruled this week that it is illegal for Texas elections officials to reject mail-in ballots and the applications for them over ID mistakes on elections paperwork, provisions that were part of the sweeping voting bill that state lawmakers passed in 2021.

Voters are required to include their driver's license numbers or social security numbers on their mail-in ballots. Elections officials have since rejected nearly 40,000 submissions over errors related to that requirement, according to the ACLU of Texas. The number written by voters often didn't match county files, or they forgot to include a number entirely.

U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez said Thursday that the provision violates the Civil Rights Act by rejecting absentee applications and ballots based on errors that "are not material in determining whether voters are qualified under Texas law to vote or to cast a mail ballot."

The court still needs to issue a final opinion and order in the coming weeks further expanding on the decision and telling the state how to comply, at which point it could also be appealed.

Edward McKinley, state government reporter

edward.mckinley@houstonchronicle.com

Who's up, who's down

Up: African flies.

The critters could have a new home soon as researchers at the University of Texas are studying how introducing African flies could keep Guinea grass in check — an invasive grass species common in Texas that contributed to the spread of the recent deadly Hawaii wildfires.

Down: Special education programs.

School districts around the state are struggling to provide special education services, as required by state and federal law, due to a lack of funds and a hugely increasing number of initial evaluations post-COVID. Districts spend more than $2.3 billion more on special education than they receive from the state. See where your school district ranks.

What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.

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What else I'm reading

Mixing things up, today's recommendation is not a news article, or even a magazine feature, but an essay: "Who's Afraid of Lorne Michaels?" on the Longreads website. Saturday Night Live is among America's most enduring entertainment institutions. This essay casts it in a new light.