Unions Commend Court’s Upholding of Drive-thru Voting in Harris County

HOUSTON — Today, the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation joined with fair vote advocates across the Houston area in applauding the Justices of the 14th Court of Appeals for dismissing the Texas GOP’s frivolous lawsuit and defending the county’s efforts to provide more voting options during the coronavirus pandemic.

Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Executive Director Hany Khalil said: “The good news is that the desperate attempts by the Texas GOP to suppress the vote are flopping. On just the first day of early voting we’re already seeing record-breaking turnout. County officials and voter’s rights advocates are working hard to defend our democracy, and it’s paying off in a big way.”

A last-minute lawsuit filed by the Texas Republican Party to limit drive-thru and curbside voting in Harris County was dismissed this morning by Texas’ 14th Court of Appeals. Harris County voters can continue to exercise the options provided by the County Clerk’s office to make in-person voting during COVID-19 as safe and accessible as possible.

The appellate justices stated in their ruling that the Republican Party filed the suit too late, just hours before the start of early voting in Texas, and failed to show how a drive-thru voting option would harm the Party. Harris County’s plan for drive-thru voting was submitted over a month ago, and approved multiple times by the Texas secretary of state.

The Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation (TGCALF), AFL-CIO unites the power of 95 unions representing 60,000 union members across 13 counties to advocate for working families in the Texas Gulf Coast. We mobilize our members and community partners to demand a fair shot at better lives for all working people — regardless of the color of our skin, which country we come from, or whom we love. Learn more: www.gcaflcio.org/

###