CRYSTAL MASON FACES FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR ACCIDENTALLY ATTEMPTING TO VOTE

Crystal Mason is on the left

Before we talk about Crystal Mason, let me give you some background information first

1) Believe it or not, convicted felons now have the right to vote in Texas.
2) However, people on supervised release are NOT eligible to vote3) Crystal Mason fell into the latter category as she had a previous conviction for tax fraud

According to the Mason (Democracy Now Interview)

In 2016, the polling station volunteer(?) at Crystal Mason's polling place called her back AS SHE WAS LEAVING. The people in charge at the polling station failed to find Mason's name on voter registration rolls. Mason thought she couldn't vote. She was leaving. The volunteer(?) at the polling place --trying to be helpful I'm sure-- called Mason back and suggested she fill out a provisional ballot. 

I find that I don't really know what a provisional ballot is.  

So from what I understand of what I just read at Wikipedia, a provisional ballot is what you're supposed to use to vote when you're not sure you can vote. Then some government body reviews the ballot and decides whether it counts or not.

I think that's what I read. Judge for yourself

FROM WIKIPEDIA (because I can't be the only one confused)
In elections in the United States, a provisional ballot is used to record a vote when there are questions about a given voter's eligibility.  

The guarantee that a voter could cast a provisional ballot if the voters states that he or she is entitled to vote is required by the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002.

Some of the most common reasons to cast a provisional ballot include: 

The voter's name does not appear on the electoral roll for the given precinct (polling place), because the voter is not registered to vote or is registered to vote elsewhere 

The voter's eligibility cannot be established or has been challenged 

The voter lacks a photo identification document (in jurisdictions that require one) 

The voter requested to vote by absentee ballot but claims to have not received, or not cast, the absentee ballot 

The voter's registration contains inaccurate or outdated information such as the wrong address or a misspelled nameIn a closed primary (limited to members of a political party), the voter's party registration is listed incorrectly[1] 

Whether a provisional ballot is counted is contingent upon the verification of that voter's eligibility, which may involve local election officials reviewing government records or asking the voter for more information, such as a photo identification not presented at the polling place or proof of residence.[1] 

Each state may set its own timing rules for when they must be resolved. Provisional ballots therefore cannot usually be counted until after the day of the election.[1] 

Again, to me, it sounds like if you're confused about your own eligibility to vote, you should use a provisional ballot so the government can decide if your vote can be counted.

So I'm still confused as to how Texas prosecutors THINK they should have prosecuted her at all.

And, I'm not simply saying I disagree with the prosecutor's argument in this case (the republican judge's too) I'm saying I don't know what their argument IS from what I've read so far.

 I'm not sure I've interpreted Wikipedia correctly or that Wikipedia is correct in the first place. But what's even more important is this: The Guardian article I just read said her vote DID NOT COUNT in 2016. 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/27/crime-of-voting-texas-woman-crystal-mason-five-years-prison

So Crystal Mason is being threatened with 5 years in prison for accidentally attempting to vote, yes? 

Crystal's attorney seems to be correct. What else IS THIS but an attempt to scare black and brown people away from the polls? What else could it be? 

When a white woman,Terri Lynn Rote, deliberately tried to vote for President Trump twice she didn't get ANY prison time at all. 

Iowa woman who tried to vote for Donald Trump twice gets two years probation and $750 fine

Terri Lynn Rote

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/terri-lynn-rote-iowa-vote-donald-trump-twice-two-years-probation-750-fine-a7900886.html

SIT UP AND PAY ATTENTION. WE'RE ALL IN TROUBLE. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANY-BLACK-BODY...AND EASILY.

In California the people at the polling place are volunteers who are supposed to tell you the right things to do as a voter. That's why they are there. Crystal Mason did everything right, as far as she knew, and now she's faced with going to prison. 

Her lawyer told her to pack a bag, for her final hearing, as if she expects to go

By the way, why the hell would Texas make it legal for ex-convicts to vote but not cover those on supervised release? 

It sounds like an innocent omission on the part of law-makers, a loophole. But did the infamous for white supremacy lawmakers in the county that contains Fort Worth Texas simply find a way to jump through it?

I know I'm missing some technical details of the law here. I almost have to be. But what is obvious is what is important here. Crystal Mason did NOT intentionally try to vote when she was not supposed to. And her vote didn't have any affect as it was not counted. 

Crystal Mason's Democracy Now Interview

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