As Concerns About Voting Build, The Supreme Court Refuses To Step In

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The U.S. Supreme Court has shown a chilly approach toward election-related lawsuits in four cases this year.

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Andrew Harnik/AP

2020 Election: Secure Your Vote
Signed, Sealed, Undelivered: Thousands Of Mail-In Ballots Rejected For Tardiness

The percentage of rejected ballots is low in most states but could prove crucial in a close election. Moreover, rejected ballots are disproportionately likely to belong to voters using mail-in voting for the first time, and there likely will be many more first-time voters casting their ballots by mail.

The ACLU’s Dale Ho notes several onerous requirements in some state mail-in voting regimes that his voting rights litigation team has or may challenge ahead of November, including obtaining a witness signature, providing an excuse for voting absentee, submitting a photo ID, meeting early deadlines and lacking an opportunity to «cure» defects in submitted ballots.

Thus, while increased access to mail-in ballots may be an important measure for expanding access to a safe and fair election this November, the specter of voter disenfranchisement is omnipresent with numerous pitfalls threatening to keep voters from having their ballots counted. Even so, says Ho, «We’re really trying to make sure that everyone can vote safely, and that’s primarily through mail.»