老澳门开奖结果

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - A federal district court ruled Friday, October 11, in a victory for voting rights, that a key provision of Texas鈥� anti-voter law violates federal law. Specifically, the court ruled that the provision, which criminalizes compensated mail-ballot assistance, violates Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA).

The lawsuit, filed in 2021 by the , 老澳门开奖结果, the , , , and the law firm , challenged numerous provisions of the bill, including that its criminalization of compensated mail-ballot assistance to people with disabilities and limited English proficiency violated Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, which guarantees qualified voters the right to vote with an assistor of their choice. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the and .

This ruling follows a decision two weeks ago that impacted S.B. 1鈥檚 provisions on canvassing.

"This ruling is a victory for voter service organizations like the League whose mission is to empower all voters, especially those with disabilities, first-time voters, and non-English speakers, to fully participate in our democracy,鈥� said Joyce LeBombard (she/her), president of the League of Women Voters of Texas. 鈥淰oter engagement is a key part of our work to ensure all Texans can have their voices heard at the ballot box."

鈥淔or the last three years, S.B. 1 has prevented us from providing our members and the community with language voting assistance, making it near-impossible to ensure that AAPI voices are equally represented at the ballot box,鈥� said Deborah Chen (she/her), OCA-Greater Houston鈥檚 civic engagement programs director. 鈥淲e look forward to resuming our historical practices and ensuring that the AAPI community is able to fully participate in our democracy.鈥�

鈥淩EVUP is extremely pleased with the court鈥檚 ruling holding that S.B. 1鈥檚 restrictive assistance provisions violate the Voting Rights Act,鈥� said Bob Kafka (he/him), state coordinator for REV UP Texas. 鈥淭he ruling protects the rights of Texas voters with disabilities to get the assistance they need without fear of prosecution. Due to S.B. 1, voters with disabilities faced the impossible choice of either exposing themselves and their assistors to state-jail felony charges or forgoing the assistance they need to exercise the most fundamental of rights, the right to vote. This is a big win for democracy and for the disability community.鈥�

鈥淭his ruling confirms why it was critical to stop the law that harmed voters who need our assistance the most,鈥� said Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States. 鈥淟aws like SB1 are egregious and threaten our voter engagement work to ensure that all Americans have equal and fair access to the ballot. The League remains committed to fighting anti-voter laws that place unnecessary barriers on voters that limit their ability to participate in our democracy"

鈥淭his is a victory for democracy in Texas鈥� proof that the fight for voting rights is far from over, but we鈥檙e making progress.,鈥� said Rochelle Garza (she/her), president of the Texas Civil Rights Project. 鈥淰oting should be accessible for every eligible Texan, and today, we鈥檙e a step closer.鈥�

鈥淪.B. 1鈥檚 criminalization of compensated mail-ballot assistance clearly violates the Voting Rights Act鈥檚 guarantee that qualifying voters are entitled to voter assistance from the person of their choice,鈥� said Zach Dolling (he/him), senior supervising attorney, Voting Rights Program at the Texas Civil Rights Project. 鈥淭his victory preserves that important right, which is necessary to ensure that voters with disabilities or with limited English proficiency have equal access to the ballot box.鈥�

鈥淭he law is clear: voters who need assistance can choose who they get it from,鈥� said Dayton Campbell-Harris (he/him), staff attorney, 老澳门开奖结果 Voting Rights Project. 鈥淰oters鈥搉ot the state鈥搈ake that choice. The court鈥檚 ruling confirms that Texas can鈥檛 stop voters from exercising their right to choose a grandchild, caregiver, roommate, or other trusted individual to help them vote.鈥�

鈥淪ince its passage, S.B. 1 has instilled fear in voters requiring assistance and those who graciously offer help, imposing harsh criminal penalties due to restrictive limitations on who can provide that assistance,鈥� said Ashley Harris (she/her), staff attorney, 老澳门开奖结果 of Texas. 鈥淲e are grateful that the district court acknowledged these limitations as violations of the Voting Rights Act, affirming that S.B. 1 should never restrict voters鈥� rights to receive assistance to engage in their most fundamental right.鈥�

鈥淢ail-in ballots and getting help from a family member or someone else you trust are critical for older voters, disabled voters, and voters with limited English ability, which includes many Asian American immigrants,鈥� said Patrick Stegemoeller (he/him), staff attorney for voting rights at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF). 鈥淪.B. 1 has already created a devastating anti-voter chill among community organizations like OCA Greater Houston threatened with punishment for simply helping people, but we hope this win helps thaw that fear and empowers Asian Americans and other marginalized communities to vote 鈥� whether by mail or at the polls.鈥�

View the ruling .