The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored key parts of Texas' election law Wednesday, handing the state a major win after repeatedly reversing the lower court during a five-year legal fight.
What the Right Is Saying
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated the ruling on social media, calling it a "major victory." He has defended the law as essential to preventing voter fraud and protecting election integrity.
"The bulk of the plaintiffs' claims fail for lack of standing. One fails on the merits. But none justifies interference with the State Legislature's efforts to prevent voter fraud and to protect election integrity," wrote Judge Andrew Oldham in the 11-page opinion.
Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1 in 2021, targeting voting initiatives Harris County used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The law requires voters voting by mail to provide an identification number or Social Security number on ballot applications, with that information matching state records.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers, civil rights organizations and voting advocacy groups opposed Senate Bill 1 when it passed in 2021. Texas House Democrats broke quorum in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the measure, arguing the requirements made voting too difficult for some voters with disabilities.
The plaintiffs argued that requiring identification numbers or Social Security numbers on ballot applications violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and created barriers for voters who qualify for mail-in ballots because of disability. A district judge agreed and blocked nine parts of the law in March 2025 after several lawsuits challenging the law were combined.
Fox News Digital reached out to attorneys and organizations representing the plaintiffs for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
What the Numbers Show
According to the appeals court ruling, the share of mail-in ballot applications or ballots rejected because of identification-number errors fell from 11% to 2.7% after the law took effect.
The district judge blocked nine parts of Senate Bill 1 in March 2025, a decision that was reversed by the 5th Circuit on Wednesday.
Senate Bill 1 was passed by Texas lawmakers in 2021 following a contentious legislative fight over election rules.
The Bottom Line
The appeals court found most plaintiff groups did not have legal standing to bring their challenges and rejected one challenge outright on its merits. The ruling restores requirements for voters to provide matching identification numbers, a process for fixing defective ballots, and oaths stating voters were not coerced when receiving assistance.
This marks the fifth year of litigation over Texas' mail voting rules. The plaintiffs may explore further appeal options, potentially setting the stage for Supreme Court consideration. Civil liberties organizations have not yet announced whether they will pursue additional legal challenges.