Federal Appeals Court Restores Texas Mail-In Voting Restrictions

A federal appeals court on Wednesday restored key provisions of a 2021 Texas election law that had been blocked by a lower court, reversing restrictions on mail-in voting and assisted voting. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a district judge's ruling that had invalidated nine parts of the law, finding that the plaintiffs in the consolidated lawsuit lacked legal standing to challenge most of the measures.

The contested provisions of Senate Bill 1, passed in 2021, require voters to provide an identification number or Social Security number on mail-in ballot applications, with the number needing to match state records. The law also mandates that voters and individuals assisting them in filling out ballots sign an oath confirming no coercion occurred and disclose their relationship. A district judge had blocked these provisions in March 2025, ruling they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by creating undue burdens for voters with disabilities.

In its 11-page opinion, the Fifth Circuit reversed the lower court's decision entirely. Judge Andrew Oldham wrote that "the bulk of the plaintiffs' claims fail for lack of standing" and that none justified...