Fort Worth, Texas — A Texas mother of three, Crystal Mason, expressed her joy after the Texas Second Court of Appeals reversed her conviction for illegal voting in the 2016 election. Mason, a Black woman who had served time for tax fraud and was on supervised release, filled out a provisional ballot without realizing her ineligibility due to her felon status.
The court, in its opinion, stated that the evidence was insufficient to support Mason’s conviction for illegal voting under the Texas Election Code. This decision came after Mason appealed her original five-year sentence, a battle she has been fighting since 2019. The ACLU of Texas, which supported Mason, released a statement on her behalf, emphasizing the importance of protecting minority voting rights.
Voting rights activists have compared Mason’s case to similar voter fraud convictions involving White defendants who received more lenient sentences. The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office acknowledged that Mason may have received a letter notifying her of her ineligibility to vote, but due to her incarceration, she never received it.
The court concluded that there was not enough evidence to prove that Mason knowingly voted illegally, emphasizing that even if she had read the warning on the ballot, it was not enough to convict her beyond a reasonable doubt. The ACLU hailed the reversal of Mason’s conviction as a victory, highlighting the importance of safeguarding individuals from facing prison time for unintentional mistakes while exercising their civic duty.
Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, commended Mason for her resilience in fighting against what she deemed a grave injustice. Mason’s case serves as an inspiration and a cause for celebration, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by minority individuals in protecting their voting rights.