Voting

Independent  -  A judge on Thursday declined to block an executive order by Donald Trump that tightens rules on mail-in voting, a setback for the Democratic Party, which argued the measure could disenfranchise millions of voters. The decision comes as Trump’s Republicans face a challenging battle to retain control of both houses of Congress in the upcoming November midterm elections. Trump has consistently promoted the false claim that his 2020 election defeat was due to widespread voter fraud and has been a vocal critic of voting by mail.

The executive order, signed by Trump on March 31, instructed his administration to compile a list of confirmed US citizens eligible to vote in each state. It also mandated the use of federal data to assist state election officials in verifying voter eligibility. Furthermore, it required the U.S. Postal Service to deliver ballots exclusively to voters on each state's approved mail-in ballot list and obliged states to preserve election-related records for five years.

The Guardian -   Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, signed legislation on Wednesday that aims to shield California elections from federal interference, saying he expected Donald Trump’s administration to try to meddle in the midterms this year.  The law, which took effect immediately and came days before next Tuesday’s primary, prohibits any person – including federal agents – from accessing voter rolls or election technology without a court order. Law enforcement officers are restricted from disrupting election workers, except in public safety emergencies.