Appeals court temporarily blocks online voter registration for Texas drivers

[Gothmog]

I wish that I could say that I am surprised by this https://www.texastribune.org/2018/05/31/5th-circuit-temporarily-blocks-online-voter-registration-texas-drivers/?utm_campaign=trib-social&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=1527796573

Texas will not be required to meet a 45-day deadline to implement online voter registration for drivers — for now.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that mandated a voter registration system that would allow drivers to register to vote when they renew their driver’s licenses online. The requirement was part of U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia’s ruling that Texas was violating a federal voter registration law — also known as the “Motor Voter Act” — that’s meant to ease the voter registration process.

Pointing to registration deadlines for the November election, Garcia ordered the state to create the online system — the first mechanism for online voter registration in the state — in order to comply with the Motor Voter Act, which requires states to allow people to register to vote while getting their driver’s licenses.

Last week, the state appealed to the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit, which put Garcia’s ruling on hold during the appeals process. That appeal could drag out for months, leaving uncertain whether the online system will be in place ahead of this fall’s elections.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. GOP hates voters and voting, simply DESPISES them.

And I am sick and tired of these democracy HATING fuckers, they are ENEMIES of democracy.

[Gothmog]

2. In Texas, it is difficult to do mass voter registration drives

Texas puts up a ton of barriers to doing mass registration of voters and other states may follow https://www.acslaw.org/whathappensintexas

Voter registration drives are a key tool in boosting civic participation and building grassroots power. For decades they have played a significant role in increasing voter registration rates, particularly among underrepresented communities. However, in the last decade, states such as Texas have taken steps to disenfranchise eligible voters by introducing laws that make conducting voter registration drives nearly impossible and wrought with legal liability. In a new ACS Issue Brief, Mimi Marziani, President of the Texas Civil Rights Project, and Robert Landicho, Associate at Vinson & Elkins LLP, explain how the restrictive voter registration scheme in Texas came to be and where the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals erred in upholding it. In the Issue Brief, they make the case that the Fifth Circuit’s reasoning is ripe for a challenge and lay out the bases for contesting the decision, providing a roadmap to fight back in Texas and beyond.

Mimi is a former Brennan Center attorney and was with Battleground Texas in 2014. She is doing a great job at Texas Civil Rights Project

[BigmanPigman]

3. Texas is a lost soul of a state.

I wouldn't visit there, let alone live there. What happened after Ann Richards? This is un American! Period!

[Gothmog]

4. There are a good number of good Texas Democrats working to change things

Texas will turn blue. The GOP knows this and is trying to delay things with voter suppression efforts such as voter id and the Texas voter registration rules. We took the voter id law to court and largely gutted this law. Now anyone can vote with virtually any form of ID so long as they sign a reasonable impediment declaration.

We are overcoming voter registration issues. A lady who I trained as a poll watcher in 2012 was elected in 2016 to be in charge of voter registration issues in Harris County. We used to have so sue this office to get sufficient voter registration forms in languages other than English.

Things are improving and the GOP is worried.

[BigmanPigman]

5. Then there is hope?

Thanks! RESIST!

[Gothmog]

6. I have a meeting tonight with Juanita Jean

We are planning for the upcoming Texas Democratic party state convention

[BigmanPigman]

7. YEAH!

More power to you! Many, many thanks!