The U.S. ultimate Court on 14 September blocked Donald Trump's administration from attempting to introduce fresh rules for postal voting before the November half-election. Regulations were to make card handling by post dependent on national requirements and electoral lists. This is the White House's failure, but not the thought of sealing elections.
The court stopped the change just before the vote
The U.S. ultimate Court refused to agree to immediately implement the fresh rules on postal voting. A one-step resolution left in force an earlier blockade issued by the Massachusetts national court. The judges felt that the government had small chance of success in this dispute, and the circumstances do not support the suspension of the lower instance decision.
The ruling took place on 14 September, little than 2 months before the half-election scheduled for 3 November. For the White House, time was at the heart of the matter. Without the approval of the ultimate Court, fresh procedures cannot be applied in the current election cycle.
There was no full consensus among the judges. Brett Kavanaugh supported the result, but noted that the rules themselves could be legal. His reservation afraid an effort to implement them within a time limit that did not give state and local authorities adequate time to prepare. Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas were against the majority's decisions.
What the Trump administration wanted
Donald Trump's March Executive Order ordered the preparation of national lists of citizens and fresh standards for electoral shipments. The envelopes were to have an authoritative email designation, a code for tracking and plan approved by the post office. The plan besides provided that the USPS would not operate cards of non-listed persons on the state lists of postal voters.
The objective, namely to limit fraud and let only eligible citizens to vote, is legitimate. The State has a work to defend the integrity of the vote. The problem begins erstwhile executive authorities effort to rebuild the procedure on the last straight, even though constitutional work for organising elections mostly rests with the states.
The states questioning the regulation warned that mistakes on national lists could deprive legitimate voters of their vote. They besides pointed to the deficiency of time needed to adapt the systems. The ultimate Court has left the postal regulation suspendedbut he did not close the full debate on the safety of the correspondence vote.
Trump's failure has its limits.
Democrats present the ruling as rejecting Trump's interference in elections. specified a description is politically convenient, but besides wide. The court examined the urgent request and the time limit for the implementation of the circumstantial regulation. Kavanaugh's opinion shows that a dispute over message competence and the legality of the requirements themselves can come back after the election.
The administration besides does not quit on another activities. The Department of Justice demands the state of the voters' data, and the Ministry of interior safety conducts its own records checks. The conflict so concerns a wider border between the protection of elections and the national acquisition of state powers. Trump has already clashed with courts with the scope of executive power.
Lesson for Poland
For Poland, the importance of this substance is very practical. Honest elections require verification of powers, a transparent procedure and real control. However, they cannot trust on the improvisation of the administration a fewer weeks before the vote. specified movements undermine trust even erstwhile the stated goal is reasonable.
Polish public debate frequently falls into a simple division: either all control is an attack on democracy, or any extraordinary measurement becomes acceptable in the name of combating abuse. The American dispute shows a better way. The rules must be made clear, in accordance with the constitutional division of competences and early adequate for the citizen to know how to give an crucial vote. Freedom of choice and the credibility of the state are at stake.
Sources: Interia Events, White House, Implementing Regulation No 14399, Roll Call."
Source: Interia Events
