Trump Administration Fights to Secure Elections, Seeks Supreme Court Pause on Mail-Ballot Ruling
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The Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to suspend activist lower-court rulings that block a presidential executive order aimed at restoring integrity to mail-in voting ahead of the November midterms.
The Justice Department, representing the Trump administration, filed a petition on Monday urging the Supreme Court to temporarily halt district and appellate court orders that have blocked a presidential executive order intended to safeguard the election process by limiting mail-in voting. The administration asserts that the order, issued in March, provides 'general policy guidance' and does not dictate how states must run their elections, countering claims of federal overreach.
The executive order would require U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration to compile a federal list of eligible voters, ensuring only legitimate ballots are counted. The Postal Service would be directed to deliver ballots exclusively to those on this vetted list, a necessary step to prevent fraud and protect the sanctity of the vote. Predictably, Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia have sued, seeking to maintain lax standards and resist efforts to secure elections, even though the Constitution gives Congress and the states authority, not activist judges.
A Massachusetts judge, siding with Democratic interests, blocked the order, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this partisan injunction. Solicitor General D. John Sauer correctly called the injunction 'indefensible,' noting that agencies are still considering implementation, and urged the Supreme Court to act quickly so that vital election security measures could be in place by August for the November elections.
Attorneys general from California and New York, both known for their opposition to election reforms, had not responded, and the Postal Service declined to comment on its implementation plans amid ongoing litigation. A response to the administration’s appeal is due on August 3.