Texas Harris County Mail Ballot Accessibility Challenge
National Federation of the Blind of Texas et al v. Hudspeth et al
A pro-voting lawsuit challenging Harris County’s mail ballots as inaccessible for voters with print disabilities.
Background
Visually impaired Texas voters and the National Federation of the Blind of Texas filed a federal lawsuit challenging Harris County’s vote-by-mail paper ballots as inaccessible for voters with print disabilities. Plaintiffs assert that if Harris County provided electronic vote-by-mail ballots to print disabled voters, they would be able to “privately and independently” read and mark their ballots without depending on a third party. The lawsuit argues Harris County is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and seeks to require the county to allow these voters access to an electronic vote-by-mail system.
Why It Matters
According to the complaint, voting accessibility issues in Harris County are part of a “broader, national history of discriminatory barriers to voting for individuals with disabilities.” In 2019, the Department of Justice reached a settlement agreement with Harris County to resolve ADA violations for failing to provide persons with disabilities access to polling places. However, visually impaired voters in the county still face barriers, and lower turnout rates, as they must rely on third party assistance to vote-by-mail.
Latest Updates
- Feb. 3, 2026: Plaintiffs filed their complaint.