A federal judge refused to issue a temporary block on an executive order restricting voting by mail. The decision left the order in place while legal challenges continued. The order, issued March 31, directs the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate with the Social Security Administration to create lists of adult U.S. citizens by state and send those lists to state election officials. It also directs the U.S. Postal Service to create lists of eligible voters and to deliver mail-in ballots only to individuals on those lists. The judge stated that plaintiffs had not shown that preliminary injunctive relief was warranted at that time, while noting future rules or list omissions could affect specific individuals. Other related voting actions had previously been halted by courts.
"The Court recognizes that the Postal Service may ultimately issue a final rule that directly affects Plaintiffs or their members, or that the Government may develop State Citizenship Lists that omit specific individuals due to particularized flaws. Plaintiffs may, of course, renew their motions if and when those future actions occur. Until then, however, Plaintiffs cannot show that preliminary injunctive relief is warranted."
"The latest executive order, issued March 31, calls for the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Social Security Administration to create lists of adult U.S. citizens in each state, and to send those lists to state election officials. It also calls for the U.S. Postal Service, a federal agency that's independent of the administration, to come up with lists of eligible voters and to only deliver mail-in ballots to people on those lists."
"A federal judge has declined to temporarily block President Trump's executive order that calls for restricting voting by mail. The ruling released Thursday by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols leaves in place at least for now an executive order on voting that tests the limits of the president's power under the Constitution."
"Since Trump signed the order, it's been unclear whether and how it would actually affect mail-in voting, which has been taking place for state primaries in this year's midterm election. In early May, the administration said in a court filing that federal agencies were still deliberating how to carry out the order."
#mail-in-voting #executive-orders #voter-eligibility-lists #department-of-homeland-security #us-postal-service
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