Out of the many disappointing decisions the U.S. Supreme Court has issued in regard to voting rights in the past 27 years, its Monday decision on mail-in voting is a win for democracy and a fitting opinion just days before the 250th anniversary of our nation.
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the grace period associated with Mississippi’s mail-in ballots, which were mailed on or before Election Day but counted after Election Day, was not a violation of what constitutes “Election Day” under the Constitution. Mississippi has a five-day grace period and Washington has a 20- day grace period. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined with the Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.
President Donald Trump and many in the Republican Party, including party leadership in Washington, have tried for years to make voting more difficult for some people. Separate from this decision Monday, Washington was among the states that sued Trump over his executive order calling for the creation of a national list of voters and restrictions on mail-in voting.
“Today’s decision is a major win for voters and a firm rebuke of Donald Trump’s strategy to take control of states’ voting systems,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said. “What this means for us is that Washington’s system of vote-by-mail doesn’t change.”
King County Elections Director Julie Wise applauded the decision as well, and said her office still has work to do.
“ … Our work to prepare, expand drop box access, and educate our voters doesn’t end because of this decision. It’s still important for our voters to vote early and use a drop box, especially if voting late,” Wise said.
Even if this decision protects, for now, our vote-by-mail system from the administration’s attacks, state and county officials must be vigilant and prepared for even more desperate assaults on balloting in certain counties this fall.
Proof of Trump’s relentlessness when it comes to trying to disadvantage certain voters can be found in his recent refusal to sign the bipartisan 21st Century Road to Housing Act — which he supported — until Congress passes the voter-restricting SAVE America Act. His goal? Keep Democrats from taking control of the House.
Washington officials must do all they can to continue to protect free and fair elections. Voters must do what they can to bring about checks on a wayward administration.
