On Tuesday, President Trump celebrated a ruling from an appeals court regarding Texas’ requirement for voters to present a driver’s license or similar identification to have their mail-in ballots counted.
“This is great news!!! It should be nationwide!!! President DJT,” Trump expressed, sharing his enthusiasm for the decision.
A three-judge panel from the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled unanimously on Monday, stating that the requirements do not violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act protects voting rights, stating that the state cannot deny voting based on minor document errors.
“The number matching requirement is clearly intended to ensure that all mail-in voters are indeed who they claim to be, which is essential to establish an individual’s right to vote,” the court noted.
The panel included both Trump’s appointee, U.S. Circuit Judge Don Willett, and Patrick Higginbotham, who was appointed by former President Reagan.
In Texas, voters are eligible to vote by mail if they meet specific criteria, such as being disabled or over the age of 65.
This requirement was part of a broader election integrity bill passed by the state’s Republican-controlled Congress in 2021. Election officials had expressed reluctance to comply with it.
In response, the Biden administration and several civil rights organizations filed lawsuits shortly after the law’s enactment.
The Texas state and the Republican National Committee sought the appeals court’s help after U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez Jr., appointed by former President Bush, blocked the enforcement of the requirements, deeming them a violation of civil rights laws as they were unnecessary for voter eligibility.
The Fifth Circuit’s ruling counters this view, asserting that the provision’s importance only relates to decisions on voter eligibility, not mail-in voting.
“The 2021 actions easily align with the regulations of importance in any case,” Ho stated.
