Trump Seeks Mail-Ballot Rule Revival
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow Postal Service mail-ballot changes.
The reporting
The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to lift U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani’s temporary order blocking parts of a U.S. Postal Service mail-ballot rule for November’s midterm elections. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the Boston order interferes with President Donald Trump’s March executive order directing USPS procedures for mail ballots. The rule would require states to send mail-voter lists to USPS and allow the agency to withhold or refuse delivery of ballots to recipients not on those lists, as ballots were set to begin going out.
Analysis & opinion
USPS ballot failuresMostly Left
Putting USPS in a new gatekeeping role over mail ballots would endanger the election. The system is not ready and could wrongly block or mishandle large numbers of valid ballots.
Improper ballot restrictionsMostly Left
The administration’s mail-ballot crackdown goes beyond what the government can properly do. Restricting access to mail voting or letting USPS reject ballots is legally suspect and threatens voters’ rights.
Deliberate election sabotageMostly Left
Trump is intentionally manipulating mail-in voting to make elections less fair. His actions are aimed at suppressing Democratic votes and creating chaos that weakens confidence in the midterms.
