A federal appeals court upheld a Texas election law requiring voter ID numbers on mail-in ballots, handing a legal victory to President Trump's administration and state Republicans over a challenge from the Biden administration and liberal groups, The Dallas Express reported.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 4 upheld a key provision of Texas' Election Integrity Protection Act of 2021, also known as SB 1, which mandates voters include an ID number when applying for and returning mail-in ballots.
Multiple Republican organizations intervened in the case, including the RNC, Dallas County Republican Party, Harris County Republican Party, National Republican Congressional Committee, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The legal battle stemmed from a lawsuit — U.S. v. Paxton — in which former President Joe Biden's Justice Department and several left-wing activist groups sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other state officials. Plaintiffs claimed the ID requirement was discriminatory and violated the Civil Rights Act by denying the right to vote over an "error or omission" not "material" to determining eligibility.
The 5th Circuit disagreed.
Judge James Ho, writing for the court, cited existing precedent and emphasized concerns over election security. "'Mail-in ballots are not secure'" and "'mail-in ballot fraud is a significant threat,'" he wrote, adding that the court had "no difficulty" finding the law compliant with federal standards.
"The Election Protection and Integrity Act of 2021 combats mail-in ballot fraud in Texas by generally requiring voters who wish to vote by mail to provide an identification number," Ho wrote. "The ID number requirement is obviously designed to confirm that each mail-in ballot voter is precisely who he claims he is."
The court concluded that the provision does not violate the Civil Rights Act because its purpose is to verify voter eligibility, not to suppress lawful votes.
"This ruling is a clear victory for secure elections and for all Texas voters," Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley said in a statement. "Texas' commonsense safeguards for mail-in ballots are essential to protecting the integrity of every single ballot cast."
The bill, SB 1, passed by the Republican-led Texas Legislature in 2021, requires that voters provide a voter registration ID number — typically from a driver's license or state-issued ID on both the application and return envelope of their mail-in ballot. Election officials then match the number against records from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
"As long as Democrats and the left are fighting to overthrow the will of the American people who support these safeguards, the RNC will be there to meet them in court," Whatley said.
The ruling is expected to bolster efforts by Republican-led states to enact similar election integrity measures, especially as the 2026 midterms approach.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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