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Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Missouri from Using New House Map After Supreme Court Declines Intervention

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Missouri from Using New House Map After Supreme Court Declines Intervention

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Missouri from implementing a new congressional map, a decision that follows the Supreme Court's refusal to intervene in the redistricting dispute. The revised map, passed by the Republican-led legislature, aimed to reassign parts of Kansas City from Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver's 5th Congressional District to neighboring Republican districts and extend the remainder into rural Republican areas. This move would have significantly altered Cleaver's district, with approximately 59% of its voters being new under the proposed map. Despite the controversy surrounding the map, Cleaver ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. The legal challenge against the new map was initiated by State Senator Rick Brattin, who won the Republican primary in the reshaped district, along with Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Onder and other voters. The federal judge's temporary order comes after a state court ruling that would have prevented the use of the new map, and minutes after Sup...

President Trump's Administration Faces Lawsuit Over Mail-In Ballot Executive Order

President Trump's Administration Faces Lawsuit Over Mail-In Ballot Executive Order

A lawsuit has been filed challenging an executive order issued by President Trump, which directs the United States Postal Service (USPS) to limit the transmission of mail-in ballots. This legal action comes as part of broader discussions surrounding the integrity and accessibility of the electoral process. The lawsuit specifically targets the executive order's potential impact on the delivery and processing of mail-in votes, raising concerns about voter disenfranchisement and the fairness of future elections. The challenge is being brought forward by constitutional scholars and legal experts who argue that the order oversteps presidential authority and could undermine democratic procedures. The timing of this lawsuit, ahead of the 2026 election cycle, highlights ongoing tensions regarding election administration and the role of federal agencies in managing voting logistics.

Democrats File Lawsuit Against St. Joseph County Election Board and Clerk to Secure Ballot Access

Democrats File Lawsuit Against St. Joseph County Election Board and Clerk to Secure Ballot Access

The St. Joseph County Democratic Party chair has filed a lawsuit against members of the county election board and the county clerk. The suit, filed by Don Westerhausen in St. Joseph Circuit Court, seeks to ensure that four Democratic candidates are placed on the November 3 ballot. The candidates in question are Autumn Kaylor for auditor, Dan Caruso and Marcy Kauffman for New Carlisle Town Council, and Christy Donlon for Walkerton Town Council. The Republican-majority election board had previously refused to allow these candidates on the ballot, citing that their initial candidacy forms were filed too late. However, Westerhausen asserts that he has since filed documents with the board certifying his selection of these individuals to fill ballot vacancies, a process he claims is permissible under state law. The first judge assigned to the case, Mark Telloyan, recused himself due to his past service as a Republican election board member.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Faces Legal Challenge Over New Voter Citizenship Law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Faces Legal Challenge Over New Voter Citizenship Law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new law requiring proof of citizenship to vote, which has been challenged in a federal lawsuit by two voting advocacy groups: Black Voters Matter Fund and the League of United Latin American Citizens. The law, passed on a near-party-line vote, is set to take effect on January 1. The lawsuit, filed last Wednesday and represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Democracy Defenders Fund, argues that the law violates the National Voter Registration Act and the Fourteenth Amendment. Critics contend it targets Black and Brown communities and naturalized citizens by creating barriers to voting, especially for those without passports or who face difficulties obtaining birth certificates. Governor DeSantis, anticipating legal challenges, stated that he expects the law to be challenged by a 'liberal judge' but ultimately upheld on appeal.

Congressman John B. Larson Joins Bipartisan Brief Urging Supreme Court to Block President Trump's Mail-In Voting Order

Congressman John B. Larson Joins Bipartisan Brief Urging Supreme Court to Block President Trump's Mail-In Voting Order

Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), alongside a bipartisan coalition of 261 lawmakers, has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States. The brief, submitted in the case of United States Postal Service v. State of California, urges the court to reject President Trump’s executive order concerning mail-in voting. According to Larson and the coalition, this order is an unconstitutional attempt to control the mail-in voting process and follows previous threats by President Trump to 'nationalize our elections.' The lawmakers argue that the order violates the separation of powers and Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which grants states and Congress exclusive authority over election administration. They contend that the President's order seeks to empower Trump officials to determine voter eligibility by giving the Postal Service control over who can vote by mail. Larson stated that President Trump is determined to interfere with a free and fair election, referencing the 'SAVE America Act' ...

Oregon Advocates Propose 2028 Ballot Measure to Ban Corporate Campaign Contributions and Rework State Finance Law

Oregon Advocates Propose 2028 Ballot Measure to Ban Corporate Campaign Contributions and Rework State Finance Law

Supporters of campaign finance reform in Oregon are pushing for a 2028 constitutional amendment to prohibit corporations, unions, and other organizations from spending money to influence elections. This proposed measure is similar to a Hawaii law passed earlier this year and a Montana ballot measure set for November, both of which aim to circumvent the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision. The core premise is that state governments have the authority to ban political spending by corporations within their borders. The amendment would not prevent businesses or unions from forming political action committees or their members from donating to candidates, but it seeks to eliminate independent expenditures, often referred to as 'dark money.' Additionally, petitioners plan to introduce two more constitutional amendments: one to revise the state’s 2024 campaign finance law, which was a compromise among various stakeholders, and another to establish a 'Democracy Vouchers' system similar to Seat...

Oregon Lawmakers Propose 2028 Ballot Measure to Ban Corporate Campaign Contributions

Oregon Lawmakers Propose 2028 Ballot Measure to Ban Corporate Campaign Contributions

Supporters of campaign finance reform in Oregon are pushing for a 2028 constitutional amendment to prohibit corporations, unions, and other organizations from spending money to influence elections. This proposed measure, spearheaded by attorney Jason Kafoury, is similar to a Hawaii law passed earlier this year and a Montana ballot measure set for November. The initiative aims to circumvent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision, which allowed corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited amounts on elections, citing free speech rights. The Oregon proposal operates on the premise that state governments have the authority to regulate corporate political spending within their borders. While it would not prevent businesses or unions from forming Political Action Committees (PACs) or their members from donating to candidates, it seeks to eliminate 'dark money' independent expenditures from powerful groups. This effort follows Oregon's 2024 campaign finance law, which introduced limits ...

Detroit Free Press

Trump offers dividends, refunds to voters. Do polls show uptick?

Trump offers dividends, refunds to voters. Do polls show uptick?

President Donald Trump continues to face dismal polling results as midterm elections near.

Texas and 19 Other States Support Missouri's Appeal to U.S. Supreme Court on Redistricting Map

Texas and 19 Other States Support Missouri's Appeal to U.S. Supreme Court on Redistricting Map

Twenty states, including Texas and Florida, have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Missouri's request to maintain its 2022 congressional map. This action comes after the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the 2022 map must be used for the upcoming November elections, overturning a previous decision by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins. Missouri officials, including Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, are appealing this ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that switching to a different map so close to the election would cause significant voter confusion. The 2025 map, which was drawn during a special session last year, was designed to favor a Republican candidate in the Kansas City area. The primary election was conducted under this 2025 map, but the Missouri Supreme Court's recent decision means some voters could find themselves in different districts for the general election. The legal challenge highlights the contentious nature of redi...

Trump Administration Refiles Supreme Court Appeal to Lift Mail-in Ballot Restrictions

Trump Administration Refiles Supreme Court Appeal to Lift Mail-in Ballot Restrictions

The Trump Administration has refiled an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a federal judge's decision that blocked proposed changes to mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections. The administration's proposed changes include requiring standardized barcodes on mail-in ballots and verifying them against an online portal of eligible voters provided by each state. In its latest filing, the administration asserts that these measures are "constitutional" and represent "reasonable preparation" for election-related mail. However, opponents argue that these changes constitute an attempt to federalize elections, which have traditionally been managed by individual states. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is overseeing this appeal and has set a Wednesday deadline for responses from the groups challenging the U.S. Postal Service rules, indicating that a decision could be made as early as midweek.

Twenty States Urge U.S. Supreme Court Intervention in Missouri Congressional Map Dispute

Twenty States Urge U.S. Supreme Court Intervention in Missouri Congressional Map Dispute

Twenty state Attorneys General have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, supporting Missouri's request to temporarily block a Missouri Supreme Court ruling concerning the state's congressional map. The Missouri Supreme Court had ruled that the 2022 congressional map must be used for the upcoming November election, while voters decide on a new map. The amicus brief, led by Florida and Texas, argues against changing electoral rules close to an election, citing the 'Purcell principle.' This principle suggests that courts should avoid making drastic changes to voting or election rules too close to an election to prevent voter confusion and administrative difficulties. The brief contends that implementing a new map now could lead to candidates running in different areas than where they were primaried, voters casting ballots for candidates they did not nominate, and state officials struggling to administer a different election than initially planned.

Trump Administration Renews Supreme Court Bid to Limit Mail-in Voting; Justice Jackson Sets Response Deadline

Trump Administration Renews Supreme Court Bid to Limit Mail-in Voting; Justice Jackson Sets Response Deadline

The Trump administration has renewed its appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to implement new restrictions on mail-in voting ahead of the November congressional elections. This marks the third time the White House has sought Supreme Court intervention on this matter. The administration's emergency filing on Sunday follows a federal judge in Massachusetts, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, extending a ban that prevents the new rules from taking effect. Solicitor General John Sauer, representing the Trump administration, argued that the injunction risks "sowing confusion and chaos" as more states begin mailing out ballots. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who handles emergency appeals from Boston, has set a deadline of Wednesday for groups challenging the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rules to respond to the administration's request. The proposed rules, stemming from an executive order signed by President Trump in March, grant the USPS new powers to determine who receives ballots, require special bar...