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Judge Rejects Republican Effort to Toss Out 127,000 Houston Votes

Associated Press

   HOUSTON - A federal judge on Monday rejected a Republican effort to
   invalidate nearly 127,000 votes in Houston because the ballots were
   cast at drive-thru polling centers established during the pandemic.

   The lawsuit was brought by conservative Texas activists who have railed
   against expanded voting access in Harris County, where a record 1.4
   million early votes have already been cast. The county is the nation's
   third largest and a crucial battleground in Texas, where President
   Donald Trump and Republicans are bracing for the closest election in
   decades on Tuesday.

   U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen's decision to hear arguments on the
   brink of Election Day drew concern from voting rights activists and
   came after the Texas Supreme Court rejected a nearly identical
   challenge over the weekend.

   The ruling came in response to a lawsuit by conservative GOP activists
   who have filed a battery of court challenges over moves to expand
   voting options during the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges have not
   involved Trump's campaign.

   Another 20,000 or more voters were expected to use drive-thru polling
   locations Tuesday, said Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, the county's
   top elections official. Several voters who already used the drive-thru
   centers rushed to join mounting opposition to the lawsuit, including a
   Houston attorney whose wife was 35 weeks pregnant when she cast her
   ballot. She gave birth to twins Friday.

   "My vote counts," David Hobbs said. "My wife's vote counts."

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