The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, composed of a three-judge panel, filed an order less than an hour before midnight on the day before early voting was set to start in Texas allowing Gov. Greg Abbott to limit mail-in ballot drop-off sites, saying that Texans still have other means of voting, and limiting these sites in no way impedes on anyone’s right to vote. 

“Leaving the Governor’s October 1 Proclamation in place still gives Texas absentee voters many ways to cast their ballots in the November 3 election. These methods for remote voting outstrip what Texas law previously permitted in a pre-COVID world,” the court said. “The October 1 Proclamation abridges no one’s right to vote.”

Read the full story here. Gov. Greg Abbott has even extended early voting until October 30th in light of the pandemic, and for good reason since this election has shown a record turnout of first day voters in the state. 

Voters in North Texas didn’t mind waiting to cast their ballots on the first day of early voting Tuesday. More than 92,000 people had voted by the afternoon in Tarrant and Dallas counties. Almost 2 million more people are registered to vote in Texas this year compared to the last presidential election.

For more updates about voter turnout per county, check out this live blog from KENS5.