Court agrees to review Crystal Mason’s case after appeal from Tarrant County DA

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

---

The state's highest criminal court has agreed to review the case of Crystal Mason, who was accused — and later cleared — of illegal voting in Tarrant County in 2016.

When Mason went to vote, she was on supervised release for federal tax evasion. People convicted of felonies can't vote while on supervised release, under Texas state law. Mason has maintained she didn't know she was ineligible, and she cast a provisional ballot that day, which was never counted.

Mason was convicted of illegal voting and sentenced to five years in prison. She fought her conviction for years, and in March, the Second Court of Appeals in Tarrant County overturned that conviction. The justices ruled there's no evidence Mason knew she was ineligible to vote. That knowledge is a requirement to make a vote illegal, according to the court.

The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office asked the Court of Criminal Appeals to reverse the decision, to overturn, and on Wednesday, the court agreed to take up the case.

“While I am ready for this case to be over and for my acquittal to stand, I will continue to maintain my faith that justice will be done,” Mason said in a press release from the ACLU of Texas.

Tarrant County DA Phil Sorrells explained why he appealed Mason's case in a briefing to county commissioners in May.

“I want would-be illegal voters to know that we’re watching,” he said.

The county argues Mason knew she wasn't allowed to vote because she signed an affidavit at the polling place that explained the rules.

---

TribFest Keynotes Announced! Be there when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin take the keynote stage at The Texas Tribune Festival! Whitmer will talk with Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith about her memoir, her key victories in Michigan and the importance of every vote. Youngkin and Smith will close out TribFest with a conversation about his record, the state of his party and a conservative policy agenda for America. Explore the full program of 300+ speakers and 100+ events. Get tickets today.