Hi ACLU Supporter –

Imagine taking off from work early to vote only to wind up, six months later, in handcuffs. That's what happened to Crystal Mason, a Black mother from Texas who was sentenced to five years in prison for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election.

The ACLU, along with the Texas Civil Rights Project, have joined Crystal's legal team. While we argue her case, showing public support could make the difference. Add your name to make loud and clear: I support Crystal Mason.

At the time, Crystal was on federal supervised release, a preliminary period of freedom for those who've served their full time of incarceration in federal prison. Nobody told her that Texas considered her ineligible to vote at the time, and it's not clear under the law that she was in fact ineligible. Yet the state contended that she should have known anyway.

Crystal's sentence is not only extreme, but also an example of racial disparities in our criminal justice system. This year, a white male judge in the same county was sentenced to five years' probation for submitting fake signatures to secure a place on a primary ballot. But Crystal, a Black woman, was sentenced to five years in prison for what was at worst an honest mistake.

Add your name to show your support for Crystal Mason.

Despite all she's been through, Crystal is determined to speak out. "You wanted me to feel fear. You wanted me to run. You wanted me to be scared to educate and teach my kids to continue to vote, to go vote, what my mom instilled in me. Instead of letting it be a crutch, I have let it motivate me now."

Let Crystal's story empower us to do the same – let's fight for her and for every single one of us.

Thanks for showing your support,

Dale Ho
Director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project