AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday dramatically reduced the state's number of drop-off sites for mail-in ballots, a move the Republican said was needed to ensure election security, while Democrats quickly blasted it as a naked effort to suppress voters.
Abbott's order limits drop-offs to a single location per county starting Friday, shuttering dozens of sites statewide in some of Texas' largest cities — Democratic strongholds in a state run by Republicans — as voters are already returning ballots for the November presidential election, among others. The order also allows poll watchers to observe ballot deliveries at each place.
“These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at illegal voting,” Abbott said, days after fellow Republican, President Donald Trump, urged his supporters to watch the polls.
