Rules Designed to Create Chaos
The Trump administration is hoping to put so many restrictions on mail-in balloting that people simply won’t be able to vote that way at all.
TL;DR
- Donald Trump has historically expressed strong opposition to mail-in voting, calling it corrupt and fraudulent.
- The Trump administration, through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), has proposed new rules that could significantly disrupt mail-in ballot delivery.
- These proposed rules include federal approval of ballot envelope designs, mandatory barcodes, and uploading voter lists to a federal portal.
- Federal courts have blocked these rules, and the Supreme Court is currently deciding whether to allow them to proceed before the midterms.
- Experts, including Rick Hasen, warn of potential 'mass disenfranchisement' if the USPS plan is implemented, disproportionately affecting vulnerable voters.
- States face significant logistical and financial challenges in complying with the new requirements, with some laws and systems incompatible with USPS demands.
- Alternative mail carriers are being considered by some states, but at a substantially higher cost.
- Legal arguments suggest the administration may lack the authority for such a program, while the potential harm to voters if implemented is significant.
- There's a concern that the chaos caused by these rules could erode public confidence in election results, a potential goal for the White House.