On August 12, 2026, the Federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the decision of a lower court and reinstated nine provisions of Texas’ 2021 election law. The main reason cited was that challengers lacked standing under two federal laws.
Standing in a lawsuit refers to the requirement that a party must have a concrete interest in the case. The party must demonstrate that a particular law has caused or could cause them harm, and that this harm stems from the law itself, with a successful lawsuit being able to remedy the issue.
The Texas election law in question, known as SB 1 or the “Election Integrity and Security Act,” was passed following the 2020 election with the aim of enhancing election security, particularly in the aspects of mail-in voting and ballot collection.
Various groups had raised concerns about restrictions in the Texas law regarding compensation and limitations on ballot collection, rules for voter assistance, and identity and number matching requirements for mailed ballots. The law mandated that voters provide the last four digits of their driver’s license number or social security number on applications and ballots matching state records.
The law also required individuals providing assistance to voters to swear an oath confirming no coercion or intimidation, disclose their relationship with the voter, and report any compensation received from candidates, campaigns, or political action committees.
These groups argued that these rules discriminate against disabled voters and create voting barriers, violating the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
They further claimed that these rules posed obstacles, disproportionately impacting disabled individuals, and Texas failed to make reasonable accommodations for disabled voters to participate equally in the voting process.
Subsequently, a federal district court issued a permanent injunction blocking the enforcement of these nine provisions.
The case was referred to as La Union del Pueblo Entero v. Abbott. Three judges of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously agreed on August 12 to overturn and vacate the district court’s injunction.
Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham wrote in the panel opinion, “Mail-in ballots are susceptible to fraud, a fact long since confirmed.”
“This is why mail-in voting jeopardizes the fairness of elections and the democratic process,” he stated.
Oldham highlighted that the state law’s “most significant functions” are to institute security measures for mail-in voting and ballot collection but found itself entangled in legal battles as a result.
He noted, “This feels like a familiar story in modern America: a federal district judge issues a broad injunction, overruling a decision of the legislature. Since then, we have been blocking, vacating, and overturning these injunctions.”
Regarding the overturning of the district court’s injunctions based on the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, Oldham remarked that the rejection rate related to identification had significantly decreased, and claims of ongoing harm to voters from SB 1 were unfounded.
He stated that the district court accepted testimonies from election officials stating that elderly, disabled voters, and recently eligible mail-in voters were more likely to be confused by the new requirements, leading to ballot rejections. However, “since the enactment of SB 1, the evidence shows otherwise.”
The Epoch Times reached out to the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the legal teams representing the plaintiffs, for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.