A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Trump campaign-backed effort to impose strict new limits on mail-in voting in several battleground states, ruling that the measures would unlawfully disenfranchise voters during the pandemic.
Ruling Details
U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw issued a preliminary injunction against the rules, which would have required absentee ballots to be received by election day and barred the use of drop boxes. The judge found that the restrictions violated the constitutional right to vote, particularly amid the ongoing health crisis.
According to the ruling, the Trump campaign and Republican allies failed to demonstrate a legitimate need for the changes, which would have disproportionately affected minority and low-income voters. The decision applies to Nevada, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, where the rules were set to take effect.
Campaign Response
"This is a victory for democracy and for every American who wants to vote safely," said Marc Elias, a lawyer for the Democratic National Committee, which challenged the rules. "The court recognized that these restrictions were a transparent attempt to suppress the vote."
The Trump campaign vowed to appeal, with spokesperson Tim Murtaugh saying, "We believe the court erred and we will fight to protect the integrity of the election." The campaign has argued that mail-in voting is prone to fraud, though multiple studies have found no evidence of widespread fraud.
Impact on Voters
The ruling ensures that voters in the affected states can continue to use drop boxes and that ballots postmarked by election day will be counted, even if they arrive after November 3. This is crucial as millions of Americans are expected to vote by mail to avoid crowded polling places during the pandemic.
More than 76 million ballots have already been requested or mailed out nationwide, according to data from the U.S. Elections Project. The decision is seen as a major setback for Republican efforts to tighten voting rules in swing states.
