Legal Battles Over Ballot Rules Ahead of Midterms
Election administrators and legal challengers are contesting mail-in ballot procedures and citizenship verification rules before the November 3 midterm elections.
Legal challenges and administrative disputes over voting procedures have intensified ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. In North Carolina, voters and nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections over new regulations that require the spoiling of absentee ballots if the inner container-return envelope remains unsealed.
Nationally, the Trump administration has advocated for stricter mail-in restrictions and the implementation of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to verify voter citizenship. The Supreme Court of the United States permitted the use of the SAVE program and issued a ruling in Watson v. RNC allowing states to accept ballots postmarked by Election Day, even if they arrive late. These rulings have led to varying trends in ballot requests, with Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, reporting a slight decrease while other jurisdictions see spikes.
Simultaneously, the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed for a third time that Missouri cannot utilize a Republican-favored congressional map. This decision has resulted in two upcoming ballot referendums in Missouri regarding congressional boundaries and whether the Missouri General Assembly can veto such referendums.
