SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from enforcing most of his executive order on elections against the vote-by-mail states Washington and Oregon, in the latest blow to Trump’s efforts to require documentary proof of citizenship to vote and to require that all ballots be received by Election Day.
U.S. District Judge John H. Chun in Seattle found that those requirements exceeded the president’s authority, following similar rulings in a Massachusetts case brought by 19 states and in a Washington, D.C., case by Democratic and civil rights groups.
“Today’s ruling is a huge victory for voters in Washington and Oregon, and for the rule of law,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said. “The court enforced the long-standing constitutional rule that only States and Congress can regulate elections, not the Election Denier-in-Chief.”
The executive order, issued in March, included new requirements that people provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote and a demand that all mail ballots be received by Election Day. It also put states’ federal funding at risk if election officials didn’t comply.
So, have you heard the “don’t comply in advance” slogan? That means a lot of things, but this is an important facet of it. Don’t cede ground you haven’t lost yet. The fascists need to fight and win that battle before we give it to them, even in our minds. They’re going to ratfuck, but we must fight it at every turn. And celebrate every hindrance to their victory. This is a win, and you win the war by winning these little battles, over and over again.