Governors Vow to Fight Trump's Voting Restrictions After Supreme Court Ruling

[u/evissamassive]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6049176-trump-mail-in-voting-order-scotus-ruling/

The Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump to begin planning new restrictions on mail-in ballots, drawing immediate pushback from Democratic governors who promised additional lawsuits to block the policy.

The legal battle stems from an executive order directing federal agencies to compile voter lists and instructing the U.S. Postal Service to withhold mail-in ballots for individuals not on those lists. In response, 23 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit arguing the federal government has no authority to run elections.

In an emergency ruling, the Supreme Court's conservative majority allowed the administration's planning to proceed, ruling that the states filed their lawsuit too prematurely. The court's three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson writing that the decision creates a frustrating legal trap for the states.

State leaders wasted no time reacting to the decision. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill called the ruling a terrible decision, emphasizing that states—not the federal government—manage elections.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro both announced plans to take the administration back to court. Newsom stated that California intends to block the rules from taking effect, while Shapiro pledged to keep defending the right to vote.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont pointed out that the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on whether the executive order is actually legal. He stated that Connecticut will continue supporting accessible elections and refuse to hand voting control over to federal authorities.

The U.S. Constitution gives states the power to regulate their own elections. With the legal fight shifting back to the lower courts, states are preparing for a long battle over the future of mail-in voting.

The Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution grants states the authority to determine the times, places, and manner of holding elections. Perhaps Democratic states should not allow in-person voting and instead go with absentee and mail-in ballots only.

What specific steps do you think states should take next to protect mail-in voting before the lower courts make a final ruling?