Texas election officials can continue enforcing strict ID rules for mail-in ballots after a federal appeals court unanimously overturned a lower court’s ruling.

A three-judge panel for the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Senate Bill 1—the state’s controversial 2021 election law—does not violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The decision requires vote-by-mail applicants to include an official identification or Social Security number on their applications and ballot envelopes, or risk having their votes discarded.

Court Decision Focuses on Mail Ballot Security

In the opinion, Judge Andrew Oldham highlighted the potential risks associated with voting outside a physical polling location.

“It has long been established that mail-in ballots are prone to fraud,” Oldham wrote. “That is why voting by mail jeopardizes election integrity and democracy itself.”

The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by civil rights and disability advocacy groups. Plaintiffs argued that the additional ID requirements, along with restrictions on compensated voter assistance, placed an unfair burden on voters with disabilities and hindered their access to the ballot.

However, the panel rejected claims that the law disenfranchises disabled voters. The judges noted that while some plaintiffs initially found the new procedure challenging during the 2022 midterm elections, they ultimately learned how to fulfill the requirements and will be able to comply in upcoming cycles.

Political Backlash and Response

Senate Bill 1 sparked intense political battles when Texas Republicans pushed it through the Legislature in 2021. The debate was so fierce that Democratic lawmakers fled the state to break quorum in a failed effort to block the measure. GOP lawmakers framed the legislation as an essential step to secure elections, aligning with broader national pushes to tighten voting protocols.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the Fifth Circuit’s decision, promising to keep fighting for the state’s election restrictions.

“My office will continue to defend Texas’s critical laws safeguarding our elections,” Paxton stated in a post on social media following the decision.

With the appellate court’s decision now active, Texas local election administrators must enforce the ID requirements for all upcoming elections.