WA officials celebrate SCOTUS rejection of Trump mail-in ballot restrictions
US Supreme Court rejects Trump's mail ballot restrictions: Reactions in WA
A big ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court: Justices rejected President Donald Trump's mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of the November midterm elections. Here's how officials in Washington are reacting to the ruling.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has rejected a push by the Trump administration to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections, and Washington's top prosecutor and election official are celebrating the move.
The Trump administration made a last-minute push to give the U.S. Postal Service authority to decide who would be able to receive a ballot. State election officials argued their systems were already secured, and that there was not enough time to make those changes before the November 3 midterm elections.
SCOTUS ruled in an emergency order late on Monday that Trump's restrictions would likely lose in court. They kept the preliminary injunction in place, at least through the 2026 election.
WA responds to SCOTUS ruling on mail-in voting
While Trump lambasted the Supreme Court on social media, Washington officials sang a different tune.
What they're saying:
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs issued the following statement:
"Today’s decision reaffirms what we already know: the USPS rule would create unnecessary disruption and put our voters at risk. Washington’s election workers are already hard at work preparing to carry out a safe, secure, and accurate election. Now, that work continues without having to upend our election processes to meet unrealistic ballot mail requirements.
"For Washington voters, the message is simple: Nothing is changing about Washington elections right now. Voters will continue to receive their ballots by mail, and I encourage every eligible Washingtonian to make a plan to vote: go to VoteWA.gov to check your voter registration and find official ballot drop boxes near you.
"This is a victory for this year’s election, but I know the broader fight is not over. I will not permit any interference with our state’s constitutional authority to administer elections."
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said similar in his own statement:
"Today’s ruling is a huge win for orderly elections this November.
"State and local elections officials can now focus on what they do best—administering legitimate elections that count every eligible ballot cast. Our office will remain vigilant around any other attempts by this administration to meddle in the current election while we continue the longer court fight against the administration’s illegal attack on mail-in voting."
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson celebrated the Supreme Court's decision, calling the Trump administration's efforts "anti-democratic."
SCOTUS is expected to take up the issue of mail-in voting after the midterm elections are decided.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from the Associated Press, the Washington State Attorney General's Office, the Washington State Secretary of State's Office and previous coverage from FOX 13 Seattle.