DoJ Urges Supreme Court to Intervene on Mail-In Voting Order
The Trump administration has filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, seeking to revive an executive order from President Donald Trump that could significantly alter mail-in voting procedures. The appeal follows a ruling by the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a block on the order in nearly half the country, just weeks before the November midterm elections.
Details of the Executive Order
In March, Trump ordered the creation of a "state citizenship list" of eligible voters, mandating that mail ballots be delivered only to individuals on that list. The order directs U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration to compile a federal voter list, and instructs the U.S. Postal Service to restrict ballot delivery accordingly.
Trump has promoted the changes as safeguards against non-citizen voting, which studies show is extremely rare and is a felony punishable by deportation. Attorneys for Democratic officials argue that the order exceeds presidential authority, as the Constitution grants states and Congress the power to set election rules.
Legal Challenge and Lower Court Rulings
Democratic officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit, claiming the order is ripe for abuse and could cause electoral chaos. In June, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, a Barack Obama appointee, blocked implementation for the November 3 elections. The First Circuit upheld that decision over the weekend.
The Justice Department now asks the Supreme Court to allow the order to take effect while legal challenges proceed. The outcome could have widespread implications for mail-in voting, a method used by millions of Americans.
