A federal appeals court has upheld the block on a portion of a new Alabama law that restricted help with absentee ballot applications. The law made it illegal to distribute pre-filled absentee ballot applications or to return applications for other individuals. It also criminalized giving or receiving gifts or payments for assisting with absentee ballot applications. The appeals court ruled that removing the injunction against this portion of the law would harm disabled voters and go against the public interest.
Voting rights groups, including the ACLU of Alabama and the Legal Defense Fund, had filed a lawsuit challenging the law on behalf of voter outreach organizations. They argued that the law would prevent vulnerable voters from exercising their right to vote, as individuals who assist disabled voters could face prosecution under the new law.
In defense of the law, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office argued that individuals could still help disabled voters, as long as they were not receiving cash or gifts in exchange. The attorney general’s office also contended that the law was necessary to protect the security of elections and prevent third parties from submitting large numbers of absentee ballots on behalf of voters.
The decision by the appeals court to uphold the block on this portion of the law was met with approval from voting rights advocates, who praised the ruling for protecting the rights of vulnerable voters in Alabama. The attorney general’s office did not immediately comment on the decision. Alabama is one of several states with Republican-led governments imposing new restrictions on voter assistance.
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