U.S. District Judge denies attempt to stop election grants Stephens County cleared to accept grant

United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Amos Mazzant, denied a request for a temporary restraining order from the Texas Voters Alliance, Donnie Wisenbaker, Alan Vera, Warren Johnson and Russell Hayter on Tuesday, October 20.

According to the Texas Voters Alliance’s application for the order, they were requesting a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction that would prevent Texas counties from using $25 million to “create disparate outcomes from the counties and municipalities not receiving these grants.”

“The group will not be injured if more people vote because of the private election funding,” District Judge Amos Mazzant said, according to court filings. “That is not a harm. That is democracy.”

The denied request cleared the way for Stephens County Commissioners to approve the acceptance of a grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life during the Monday, October 26 meeting inside the courthouse.

Center for Tech and Civic Life is a non-partisan non-profit that works to “foster a more informed and engaged democracy and helping to modernize U.S. elections,” according to its website.

The grant will provide Stephens County $6,783 for funding to election administrators for resources like personal protective equipment and hazard pay for poll workers to ensure a safe and healthy election.

Similar lawsuits were blocked in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan and are pending in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Georgia.

“It seems to me that there are certain jurisdictions who don’t have adequate funding, and they want to make sure that funding is not an issue to run a secure and accessible polling location,” Roach said during the Tuesday, October 13 commissioners meeting. “The amount of the grant shall be expended on the following specific election administration needs. Poll worker recruitment funds, hazard pay or training expense, temporary staffing, vote by mail or absentee voting equipment or supplies.”

The county received the opportunity to take advantage of the “Help Make America Vote” grant and various election security grants that are provided by the state and the federal government.

The grants were only available until the end of this year and accounted for 80% of the total amount for the update of election equipment. Stephens County will pay 20% or approximately $14,000 to update election security and this grant could assist in that manner.

Stephens County commissioners will add the issue to the agenda to discuss at a later date. Commissioners Court will continue to meet on the second and fourth Monday of the month.