Federal Appeals Court Restores Mail Ballot ID Requirements in Texas

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated key components of Texas' election law on August 13, 2026, reversing a lower court decision that had blocked nine provisions of Senate Bill 1, a law enacted in 2021 that modified mail-in voting and voter assistance rules. The appeals court noted its history of reversing the district court's decisions throughout the five-year legal dispute. Judge Andrew Oldham stated that the majority of the plaintiffs' claims were dismissed due to lack of standing, with one claim failing on its merits. The restored provisions require voters using mail-in ballots to provide an identification number or Social Security number that matches state records, outline a process for correcting defective ballots, and mandate that voters and those assisting them sign an oath confirming no coercion occurred. A district judge had previously blocked these rules in March 2025, citing accessibility concerns for voters with disabilities. Texas allows mail-in voting for individuals aged 65 and older and those with disabilities. The appeals court found that the groups challenging the law lacked legal standing for most claims and rejected another challenge entirely. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton referred to the ruling as a 'major victory.' The law, which faced opposition from Democratic lawmakers and civil rights organizations, was passed after contentious debates over election regulations, particularly those used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The appeals court also reported a decrease in mail-in ballot rejections due to identification-number errors, from 11% to 2.7% since the law's implementation.