In a statewide mask mandate set by Governor Greg Abbott, polling locations were exempt, meaning that people were not required to wear masks at these locations.
According to KSAT, the governor's mandate for Texans to cove their mouths and noses in public does not apply to polling places. This exclusion has been challenged as discriminatory against Black and Latino voters, who are more likely to be harmed by the coronavirus.
Abbot has stated that he encourages voters to wear facial coverings, but he excluded the polling places from the mandate to encourage more people to vote.
In the exclusion, poll workers were also not required to wear masks.
That has all changed now, however, as a federal judge has ruled that voters in Texas must wear facial coverings.
U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam said that the exemption "creates a discriminatory burden on Black and Latino voters."
A renewed argument for Pulliam states, "Black and Latino Texans … are more likely to become infected and more likely to suffer severe illness or to die of COVID-19. Black and Latino voters in Texas also face longer lines at the polls, increasing their risk of transmission by exposing them to crowds of other voters and poll workers. Under these conditions, Black and Latino voters must choose between not voting or risking their lives or the lives of their loved ones to vote. White voters do not face the same level of risk."
Photo: Getty Images
Source: KSAT