US Supreme Court to review Trump administration's mail‑ballot changes before midterms

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump assailed the Supreme Court on Sept 15 after it denied his request to lift an order halting his divisive plan to restrict mail-in voting, accusing the court of allowing itself to be cowed by Democrats.

“Certain Justices are petrified of these crazed and depraved Democrats, and are totally unable to show the courage necessary to save our America,” he posted on his Truth Social network, calling the decision “horrible” and “highly political”.

Trump signed an executive order in March seeking to restrict mail-in voting, ahead of midterm elections in November, saying without evidence that it is vulnerable to fraud. The order quickly prompted multiple legal challenges.

Democratic-led states sued the administration on grounds that, under the US Constitution, states – and not the federal government – retain broad control over the administration of elections.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in a concurring opinion with the majority, said late on Sept 14 Trump’s plan may ultimately be legal in the long run, but “state and local election officials do not have sufficient time to reasonably implement the rule before the elections.”

Only two of the six conservative justices on the nine-member panel offered a dissent.

Trump claimed baselessly that the US mail voting system, which is secure and has no significant problem with fraud, was a “laughing stock all over the World”, and lamented that the United States was “the only country that has to endure such a Nation Destroying SCAM”.

More than 30 countries worldwide offer citizens the opportunity to vote using a mail-in ballot.

“It is a big loss for Republicans, and America itself, and makes cheating by the Radical Left ‘Dumocrats’, on Mail-In Ballots, a much easier thing to do. And now they have an open field to do so! The Supreme Court has really let our Country down!” said Trump.

Trump has repeatedly denounced mail-in voting as corrupt while using it himself, including to vote in Florida’s Republican primary in August.

The fight, alongside disputes over partisan redistricting in around a dozen states, comes with high political stakes ahead of the Nov 3 elections.

Republicans hold narrow congressional majorities, but Democrats are favoured to capture the House and possibly the Senate as Trump’s approval ratings remain weak and voters voice frustration over living costs and the continuing war with Iran. AFP