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🇺🇸 United States /Crime & Justice

Trump administration makes another Supreme Court appeal in mail-ballot fight

From CBS News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency In the courts
  • The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court for the third time to intervene in its effort to restrict mail ballots before the midterm elections.
  • The appeal followed a federal judge’s extension of an order blocking the Postal Service from enforcing President Trump’s executive order.
  • Democratic states, voting-rights groups and election officials oppose the changes, which they say are unconstitutional or too difficult to implement before the Nov. 3 election.

The Trump administration has returned to the Supreme Court in its effort to impose new requirements on mail ballots before the midterm elections, warning that ballots already entering the mail system cannot be retrieved.

The filing came two days after U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani extended an order barring the Postal Service from enforcing President Trump’s executive order for the November elections. Solicitor General John Sauer said North Carolina had already begun mailing ballots, while Alabama was due to begin on Sept. 9 and at least five other states during the week of Sept. 13.

Ballots have already begun to be mailed in North Carolina, and more States will begin the mailing process as the injunction remains in place, including Alabama on September 9 and at least five States the week of September 13.

· John SauerThe solicitor general cited the election calendar in urging the Supreme Court to intervene.

“Ballots have already begun to be mailed in North Carolina, and more States will begin the mailing process as the injunction remains in place,” Sauer wrote. He argued that each day under the injunction risks confusion because preparations required by the administration’s rule remain voluntary rather than mandatory.

This marks the administration’s third request for Supreme Court intervention. The justices have allowed the plan to move forward but have not ruled on whether it is legal. Sauer asked for an immediate administrative stay, followed by a full stay while the court considers the case.

Once those ballot envelopes enter the mailstream, there is no retrieving them.

· John SauerHe argued that the timing of the injunction creates practical problems for implementing the administration’s requirements.

The dispute could affect an election in which control of Congress is at stake. Nearly one-third of U.S. voters cast mail ballots. Democratic states and voting-rights groups call the changes unconstitutional, while state and local election officials say they do not have enough time to alter their systems. They say ballot envelopes have already been ordered and printed, and they object to requirements involving unique barcodes and an online portal containing voters’ names, addresses and individualized barcodes.

The administration describes the restrictions as commonsense changes within its authority to regulate the mail. Trump has long sought to limit mail voting and has falsely blamed it for his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, although he himself often uses the method. The longstanding voting procedure remains in place.

Simply put, the best way to address respondents' fears about inability to comply with the Rule is to grant an immediate administrative stay of the order, followed by a full stay pending further review.

· John SauerHe asked the Supreme Court to suspend the lower court’s order while reviewing the dispute.
About this summary

Originally published by CBS News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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