Judges Block Key Election Provisions in Three States

A federal judge declared unconstitutional a key provision of Texas’s election reform law that criminalized compensated assistance in ballot collection, citing it as unconstitutionally vague and a violation of free speech. In Georgia, the State Election Board’s new rules for vote certification face legal challenges over concerns they could disrupt the certification process, with a trial scheduled to begin soon. Similarly, in Arizona, a federal judge blocked a provision allowing the Secretary of State to exclude uncertified county votes from the statewide totals, describing it as a severe burden that could disenfranchise millions of voters. Judge Michael Liburdi's decision also halted free-speech restrictions near polling places, further emphasizing the protection of voters' rights.