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US Supreme Court blocks postal mail ballot restrictions
The Hindu··15 Sept
The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to let the Postal Service enforce a rule on mail-in ballots before November's midterm elections. Justices denied a Justice Department request to lift Boston Judge Indira Talwani's injunction. Justice Samuel Alito dissented with Clarence Thomas. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Judge Carl Nichols in Washington also blocked the rule on Sunday.
Prism
What It Means For You
- States that mail ballots to voters keep existing envelopes and barcode rules for the November 3 vote.
- Voters using postal ballots avoid new Postal Service refusal powers while lawsuits continue.
- Election offices need not rush new recipient lists to the agency this week.
What's Happening
- The rule followed a March executive order on mail voting.
- It would require state voter lists and agency-approved outbound and return envelopes with barcodes.
- Critics said noncompliant ballots could be refused as states prepare mailings.
Mail voting in the midterms
- All 50 states allow some mail-in voting; eight run elections entirely by mail.
- Judge Talwani blocked the rule on September 4.
- The 1st Circuit said the rule could disenfranchise millions while adding little fraud protection.
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