Texas Appeals Court Upholds Mail-In Ballot ID Number Requirement

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that Texas can enforce a law requiring mail-in voters to provide a state identification number or the last four digits of their Social Security number, reversing a previous district court ruling. The court held that the ID requirement is material to verifying voter eligibility and preventing fraud, with Judge James Ho emphasizing that simply listing a voter's name and address is insufficient for security purposes. This ruling supports Texas's 2021 election integrity law SB1, which was challenged by the Biden administration and civil rights groups for potentially disenfranchising voters over minor errors. President Trump praised the decision on Truth Social, calling for the requirement to be adopted nationwide. The ruling comes amid heightened political tensions in Texas, especially as Republicans push to redraw congressional districts and Democrats have fled the state to block this effort. Critics warn the law could disenfranchise legitimate voters, while supporters argue it is a necessary safeguard to protect election integrity.