Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke, right, hugs Crystal Mason after she introduced him to speak during a primary election gathering in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 1.a lower court to take another look at the controversial case against Crystal Mason, a Texas woman who was convicted of voting illegally during the 2016 election.
Alison Grinter Allen, Mason's attorney, has said Mason had no idea she couldn't vote because she technically hadn't finished her sentence. Mason wasn't on the voter rolls at the time, so she voted using a provisional ballot — which eventually wasn't counted. According to the ruling from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, when a lower court upheld that conviction, it made a mistake by"failing to require proof that [Mason] had actual knowledge that it was a crime for her to vote while on supervised release."
"The amendment clarifies that a provisional ballot affidavit alone is insufficient evidence that the person MASON ― knowingly committed the offense," the court wrote."Corroboration by other evidence is required for conviction."that the legislation overall could ensnare people who make mistakes while voting. They say increased prosecutions aimed at voters could dissuade people from voting in Texas.
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