Tarrant County DA Phil Sorrells is trying to appeal the not guilty finding for the Crystal Mason’s case. She won overturning her conviction for voter fraud. She was She on supervised release for federal tax evasion. She asked the poll worker if she could vote. The response from the poll worker she could just fill out a provisional ballot. Later the law was changed clarifying the provisional ballot law.
From a Texas Tribune article
In its 2022 ruling instructing the lower appellate court to reevaluate the case, the Court of Criminal Appeals held that Texas election law requires individuals to know they are ineligible to vote to be convicted of illegal voting. The law had been clarified by lawmakers in 2021 with additions to the election code stating Texans may not be convicted of voting illegally “solely upon the fact that the person signed a provisional ballot,” and instead required other evidence to corroborate they knowingly tried to cast an unlawful vote.
So even though the Texas Legislature later realized a provisional ballot should be just that provisional. DA Sorrells still wants to jail Crystal. I’m not too sure what provisional means in his eyes. If you or the poll worker isn’t sure that seems like a prime case for a provisional ballot. It seems like a ballot that wouldn’t be counted if a problem is found shouldn’t be a problem
A Texas republican Ralph Thurman who tried coming back later with sun glasses trying to vote a second time using his son’s name only received 3 years. DA Sorrells really wants the 5 year sentence reinstated for Crystal. And for some reason doesn’t see the disparity with the Thurman case who only got 3 years for an obvious fraud.
CNN's article on Ralph Thurman.
Edit: Just a few side notes. DA Phil Sorrells is described as a conservative republican. Crystal Mason is a black woman. Ralph Thurman is a white republican. So for Texas it’s business as usual.
I’m going to add if someone is known as a conservative republican it means a maga idiot. Especially if they put that on their election signs.
Edit 2: The ACLU has said they would continue to help Ms. Mason.