Worried about permanent Vote by Mail? We are too.
With all the back-and-forth litigation surrounding mail-in voting, those of us who opted for permanent voting by mail might be wondering if we’ll be getting a ballot by mail. And rightly so. Here’s where we stand right now:
The US Postal Service has now issued a rule regarding mail-in ballots. This rule meets points raised in the Supreme Court’s August 24 non-decision (see our earlier post) which stated in part “Courts review final rules, not proposed rules — and certainly not antecedent internal directives to propose a rule.” So now there is a rule that can be litigated.
Two days after the Supreme Court’s non-decision was issued, 24 states and the District of Columbia filed another complaint in District Court challenging the constitutionality of the new USPS rule.
On August 27, the District Court granted a temporary injunction which blocked the Postal Service’s rule from going into effect for the midterm election in November. The (In)Justice Department has filed an appeal of the ruling, and the next hearing is set for September 3.
You may have noticed the hearing is scheduled just three weeks before early voting begins. This is where the situation becomes really sticky – because September 24, the first day of early voting, is also the first day that states can begin sending out mail-in ballots to voters.
The new Postal Service rule requires states to provide lists of mail voters (about 30% of voters in 2024) and use federally reviewed ballot envelopes with unique barcodes. USPS could reject ballot mailings that do not comply. How in the world can state County Clerks prepare for this in three weeks?
The answer is, they can’t. And our election turns into complete chaos unless the cowards on the Supreme Court put an end to this madness before September 24. Don’t hold your breath on that one. So if in the past you opted for permanent mail-in voting, are you now willing to take a gamble on your ballot being counted?
If not, you can opt out of mail-in voting by contacting the Bureau County Clerk’s office in person or at (815) 875-2014. But remember — TIME IS SHORT! You must opt out of vote by mail BEFORE September 24.
This is an absolutely unprecedented attack on American voting rights. Don’t let the fascists erase your vote with a tangle of red tape! Act now to secure your vote – and raise your voice with ours on Saturday, September 26, 11 am – 1 pm at Rotary Park in Princeton.