By Makini Brice
(Reuters) – A Texas appeals court on Friday ruled the Republican governor cannot limit drop-off sites for mail ballots to one per county, a setback for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Upholding a lower court decision, the appeals court ruled against Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The Texas 3rd Court of Appeals agreed with the lower court that limiting the number of drop boxes would increase the risk that voters could get infected with COVID-19, and would infringe on their right to vote.
Trump has repeatedly criticized mail-in ballots, claiming without evidence they would lead to widespread fraud. Trump, a Republican, faces Democrat Joe Biden in the race for the White House on Nov. 3.
Trump won Texas by nine percentage points in 2016. Though a Democratic presidential candidate has not won the state in more than four decades, polls suggest it might be in reach for Biden, part because of dissatisfaction over Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
(Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Chris Reese and Rosalba O’Brien)
