The Supreme Court, for now, remains on the sidelines of a dispute over whether to allow further voting by mail in Texas due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Judges upheld a lower court order Friday that blocks a request from state Democratic leaders to expand the mail option, at least while the case is being litigated.
“The application for unemployment was submitted to [Justice Samuel Alito] and by him referring to the court is denied, “said the order.
TEXAS LT. GOV PATRICK BASHES TWITTER, DEMOS ON MAIL VOTING: “IF YOU GET IT, IT’S THE END OF DEMOCRACY”
Judge Sonia Sotomayor wrote that “I do not disagree with the decision to refrain from addressing them for the first time here, in the context of an emergency request to cancel the suspension of a court order. But I hope the Court of Appeals will consider the merits of the legal issues in this case long before the November elections. “
President Trump celebrated the order.
“Great Texas Mail Ballot Victory!” tweeted on Friday.
In May, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans suspended the ruling after a federal judge in San Antonio ruled that Texas must give the state’s 16 million registered voters the option to vote by mail during the pandemic.
Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the decision and said allowing everyone to vote by mail “would only lead to further fraud and impeach legal voters.” Federal District Judge Fred Biery said in his ruling Tuesday that there was little evidence to back up those claims, and claims that since mail ballots have not reported significant fraud.
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Voting by mail in Texas is generally limited to people age 65 and older or those with a “physical condition or illness” that prevents voting in person. Paxton has claimed that fear of contracting the virus does not qualify as a disability under the law.
The fight in Texas is one of several across the country to expand access to mail ballots amid the pandemic. The second-round primary elections in Texas are scheduled for July 14.
Alex Pappas of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
