Dem
47
GOP
53
Donald Trump fervently believes that absentee voting helps the Democrats, so he wants to curtail it. At least one study shows that this is not true. The study consisted of examining which party did better when Washington, a blue state, and when Utah, a red state, switched to all-mail elections. In both cases, the effect was so small it couldn't be measured. But who cares about facts when you have an opinion?
So Trump signed an XO that tightens the rules on absentee voting. On its face, this is clearly illegal, since the states run elections, not the federal government, and to the extent the federal government plays a role, it is Congress, not the president. Furthermore, XOs are instructions to federal bureaucrats, not to elected state elections officials. Needless to say, the XO ended up in court. A district court ruled that the XO was unconstitutional and enjoined Trump from enforcing the XO. Trump appealed.
On Saturday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit declined to lift the injunction while the case proceeds. Of course, as it gets closer and closer to the election, it will become more and more difficult for any changes in voting procedures to be made. Early voting for the general election in Idaho, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia begins on Sept. 18. Time is getting short, and the courts may stymie Trump for the midterms. Of course, the battle will continue for the 2028 elections. (V)