Coronavirus Fears Not A Valid Excuse To Request Texas Absentee Ballots, Appeals Court Rules

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that fear over contracting the coronavirus is not a sufficient reason to request an absentee ballot for the upcoming 2020 elections.

The ruling, issued by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, reverses an injunction that would have granted Texas voters the option of requesting an absentee ballot over fears of contracting the coronavirus if they were to vote in person. The injunction was originally granted by a federal judge May 19.

Writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, Judge Jerry Smith said that “the...