GOP Lawyers/Activists Have Filed Suits Claiming Gov. Abbott Has Exceeded His Authority with "Proclamations"

BREAKING: Gov. Abbott issues proclamation CLOSING (as of Oct. 2) satellite offices where voters can drop off completed mail-in ballots.
Counties can only have 1 dropoff point, he says.
Travis has 4, including 3 downtown.
Harris has 12.

— Chuck Lindell (@chucklindell) October 1, 2020

One suddenly sympathizes. Let me give you an idea how large Harris County and environs is (there are several counties 'round here, so that limits the geographical reach of Harris County somewhat in what I have to say). Houston has a "loop" that encircles it, a new one on the "edge" of town. (It's not quite the edges of Harris County, but again, near enough for dammit.) Word is, were you to get on that road and make the entire circuit, you would travel the same distance as if you had driven from Houston to Travis County (Austin). 12 drop off locations is hardly enough, frankly, but it's a good start. I also don't know anything in the Election Code that says the County Clerk doesn't have the power to set up these drop offs. I know there's nothing in Texas law that says the Governor can ban them.*

Abbott says move, which also requires early voting clerks to let poll watchers observe ballot delivery, is an election security measure.
Clerks said the multiple dropoff spots were to help voters, particularly amid questions about Postal Service efficiency.

— Chuck Lindell (@chucklindell) October 1, 2020

First "poll watcher" who asks to see the signature on my ballot gets punched in the nose.  And what do you bet the only voters "challenged" will be non-whites?  Let us all again thank Justice Roberts for declaring the year of Jubilee and suspending the VRA. 

It's pretty plain to any sentient observer that Abbott is trying to throw a bone to the crazies in his party; which would be almost everyone in the Texas GOP not named "Greg Abbott."

Democrats criticized Abbott's order as a thinly veiled effort to suppress votes in a tight election. pic.twitter.com/ibDg0xtkB9

— Chuck Lindell (@chucklindell) October 1, 2020

This is quite true, so "Will it work?" is an interesting question. I'm betting it won't; but the Counties will have to spend more taxpayer money on courtroom antics while Abbott proves to his party that he's one of them; or close enough for dammit.

*I should also point out Harris County has the population of New Mexico and Arkansas combined (nearly).  And that urban areas in Texas are all distinctly blue, even San Antonio, home to more military bases (and retired military) than you can shake a stick at.  Abbott knows exactly what he's doing.