ACLU Comment on Texas Ruling Blocking Efforts to Invalidate Nearly 127,000 Drive-Thru Votes Cast in Harris County

HOUSTON — A federal court has blocked efforts to invalidate nearly 127,000 early votes cast via drive-thru voting in Harris County, Texas, the state’s largest county and the third largest county in the country.

The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Texas moved to intervene in the case last night and had the following reaction to U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s bench decision today:

“This ruling is a huge victory for Texas voters,” said Sophia Lin Lakin, deputy director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “The court was right to reject this outrageous attempt to undermine a true and accurate vote count and improperly influence the outcome of the election.”

“This is what democracy looks like. This is the third attempt by these individuals to throw out votes legally cast, and once again they’ve been denied. Our justice system did its duty today to ensure voting rights are protected and our democracy remains intact,” said Andre Segura, legal director of the ACLU of Texas.

“Today’s decision was absolutely necessary to reestablish some confidence in the preservation of our voting rights. This is a win for Texas voters and a win for democracy!” said Grace Chimene, president of the League of Women Voters of Texas. “Every Harris County voter who cast their ballot at a drive-thru polling site can rest assured that their votes are valid and will be counted. Today, the court protected our country’s commitment to ‘one person, one vote.’ We are encouraged by the incredible early voter turnout in Texas, and today’s decision ensures that more than 120,000 Harris County voters will be included in that number.”

The ACLU intervened on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Texas and several individuals who voted using the drive-thru option.

Case details: https://www.aclu.org/cases/hotze-v-hollins