美国最高法院阻止特朗普政府实施邮寄选票新规

AMNA: WELCOME TO THE NEWS HOUR. VOTERS AND ELECTIONS OFFICIALS HAVE MORE CLARITY TODAY AROUND MAIL-IN VOTING AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER MIDTERMS. THAT COMES AFTER THE SUPREME COURT LAST NIGHT BLOCKED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM IMPOSING NEW RESTRICTIONS ON MAIL BALLOTS. IN A BRIEF UNSIGNED ORDER, THE JUSTICES LEFT IN PLACE A LOWER COURT RULING THAT PREVENTS THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE FROM REQUIRING SPECIALIZED BALLOT ENVELOPES AND COLLECTING SENSITIVE VOTER INFORMATION.

THE LEGAL BATTLE HAS UPENDED STATE AND LOCAL ELECTION PLANS AS SOME VOTERS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THEIR MAIL BALLOTS, WITH ELECTION DAY JUST 7 WEEKS FROM TODAY. JOINING US IS TAMMY PATRICK. SHE'S THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PROGRAMS AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS. SHE WAS ALSO AN ELECTIONS OFFICIAL HERSELF IN ARIZONA FOR 11 YEARS. WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. FROM THE CONVERSATIONS YOU HAVE HAD WITH STATE ELECTION OFFICIALS TODAY, WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION TO THE LATEST RULING?

TAMMY: QUITE HONESTLY A COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF, BECAUSE IT WAS ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBLE ASK TO HAVE ELECTION OFFICIALS TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS RULE IN THIS LATE HOUR. THE BALLOTS HAD ALREADY GONE OUT IN THE MAIL. I THINK EVERYONE IS A LITTLE RELIEVED WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION AND THEY CAN FOCUS ON THE TASKS AT HAND AND GETTING PREPARED FOR WHAT IS TO COME. AMNA: EVEN AFTER THE RULING, WE SHOULD NOTE ONE ELECTION OFFICIAL WORRIES THIS IS FAR FROM OVER.

WE HAVE SEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SEND THREATENING LETTERS TO DOZENS OF STATES TO GET ELECTION DATA. ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE WAS TAKING QUESTIONS TODAY AND SAID ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO ILLEGAL VOTING WILL CONTINUE. HE WENT ON TO SAY THIS. TAKE A LISTEN.

THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING SURPRISING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO MAIL-IN VOTING. WHICH IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SAFE VOTING. AND THAT THERE IS INTEGRITY. FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. PLACING ONE VOTE. -- AND THAT THERE IS ONE PERSON, PLACING ONE VOTE. AND THAT PERSON IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. AMNA: WHAT OTHER ACTIONS ARE ELECTIONS OFFICIALS PREPARING FOR OR ANTICIPATING? TAMMY: OUR ELECTION PROFESSIONALS ARE STEADFAST IN MAINTAINING THE RULE OF LAW IN THEIR STATES AND UPHOLDING THEIR STATE STATUTES THAT ONLY ELIGIBLE VOTERS ARE VOTING, BUT THAT ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO FREE AND FAIRLY AND UNENCUMBERED PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS.

SO THEY ARE CONTINUING TO DO ALL THE THINGS THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST TO SAFEGUARD ELECTIONS AND MAKE SURE ELECTIONS OFFICIALS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE READY AND PREPARED IN THIS MOMENT TO SERVE VOTERS AND THEIR ELECTRIC. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR VOTERS TO UNDERSTAND ALTHOUGH THE RULE HAS NOT GONE IN PLACE, THERE ARE STILL SAFETY MEASURES AND SECURITY MEASURES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE VOTING BY MAIL, VOTING EARLY IN PERSON OR GOING TO THE POLLS ON TUESDAY ON THE THIRD OF NOVEMBER ARE ALL SAFE AND VIABLE OPTIONS FOR ELECTION OFFICIALS AS WELL AS FOR VOTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AMNA