TEXAS -- The Texas Court of Appeals has agreed to temporarily consider someone’s risk to the coronavirus a disability, making that person eligible to mail in their ballot.

What You Need To Know


  • Texas Court of Appeals considers risk of contracting novel coronavirus a disability

  • Will significantly expand mail-in ballot option in Texas

  • Move opposed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others 

“They can call it whatever it is," said voter Diane Willoughby. "But if people are afraid and it’ll cause people not to get out and vote, I think they should still give them that option.”

Willoughby has always turned up at the polls to vote, but since she started taking care of her 90-year-old grandmother, she considered mailing her vote in.

Another voter, Dina Abramson, also recently pondered voting by mail. Not because she's a caregiver, but due to her lung problems.

“I think everybody should be eligible because this virus is - anybody can get seriously ill and die from it,” she said.

Aside from disability, current Texas election law states that people over the age of 65, people who are imprisoned or are outside of their counties at the time of the election are eligible for mail-in ballots. Bear in mind that this move has been vigorously opposed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and its future likely remains up in the air. 

On Friday, Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court to stay the order expanding mail-in voting. 

If you meet any of the criteria, apply here​.