Attorney General Ken Paxton today filed an appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, opposing a ruling by a federal court in San Antonio that allows anyone to vote by mail using protections specifically created to aid those with a true disability or illness that renders them incapable of voting in-person.  

“Mail-in ballots are vulnerable to fraud,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Two-thirds of all election fraud cases prosecuted by my office involve mail ballot fraud, also known as ‘vote harvesting.’ Allowing widespread mail-in ballots will lead to greater fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters.”  

Governor Abbott already has made a temporary order expanding the early voting period for the July elections. In addition, local election officials have many other mechanisms available to them to ensure safe and fair elections, including sanitizing voting machines and areas and implementing social distancing.  

Read a copy of the appeal here.