Brazos County officials are awaiting instructions from the Texas Secretary of State’s elections office on whether to require early voters and election workers to wear masks.
This is after the attorney general’s office appealed a federal judge’s order requiring face coverings.
Elections administrator Trudy Hancock says in Brazos County, masks are not required until she receives notification from the state.
Brazos County general counsel Bruce Erratt says all they know about the federal court decision is from the media.
Erratt noted the ruling came from the federal court western district of Texas in San Antonio. The federal court with jurisdiction in Brazos County is the southeastern district, which is located in Houston.
The federal judge, who voided an exemption in the governor’s face covering mandate, ruled that not requiring masks creates a discriminatory burden on Latino and Black voters, who are at higher risk of death and severe illness from coronavirus.
A reminder early voting in Brazos County continues until seven p.m. Wednesday and from seven until seven Thursday and Friday.
Click below for comments from Bruce Erratt, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver on Wednesday, October 28 2020 shortly before 3 p.m.
From the Associated Press:
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ A federal judge has ruled that Texas’ statewide mask mandate must extend to inside polling places. But election officials Wednesday did not appear to be rushing to enforce the order. It was handed down after more than 8 million people have already cast ballots. U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam said not requiring face coverings in Texas polling places created a discriminatory burden
on Black and Latino voters, who are at higher risk of death and severe illness from the coronavirus. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton immediately appealed Tuesday’s ruling. Texas is three weeks into early voting, but Pulliam said enforcing a mask order would not be disruptive.