A US federal judge on Thursday refused to immediately block the executive order signed by Donald Trump aiming to strengthen the rules governing mail-in voting, while leaving the possibility for Democrats to challenge this measure again in the future.
Judge Carl Nichols of the federal court in Washington did not rule on the legality of the presidential decree signed on March 31. However, the judge deemed the request filed by Democrats to immediately suspend its implementation premature.
Donald Trump's executive order notably provides for the creation, by federal agencies, of lists of confirmed U.S. citizens on a state-by-state basis to verify voter eligibility. The order also mandates that federal data be used to assist local election authorities in auditing voter rolls.
Furthermore, the decree orders the U.S. Postal Service to distribute mail-in ballots only to voters listed on the lists approved by each state. It also mandates the retention of election documents for five years.
Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, argue that this measure could disenfranchise millions of Americans. They fear, in particular, that errors or outdated information in federal databases could lead to the unjustified exclusion of legally registered voters.
In his order, Judge Nichols emphasizes, however, that no erroneous lists have yet been produced by the administration and that no new rules have been implemented by the postal service at this stage. The order also grants postal authorities 60 days to propose concrete implementation details.
This legal battle comes just months before the November midterm elections, as Donald Trump's Republicans seek to retain their majority in Congress in a particularly tense political climate surrounding election rules and mail-in voting.
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