Election Rules Stay With States, Judge Says

A federal judge in Boston decided that President Trump’s order to change how elections are run cannot be carried out. The court turned a temporary block from last year into a permanent one, stopping most of the order’s demands. The judge said that the Constitution does not give the President power over elections, and that states and Congress are responsible for those rules. Among the banned proposals was a requirement that voters show proof of citizenship when they sign up, and a rule that would ignore mail ballots arriving after Election Day even if they were postmarked in time. The order also threatened to cut federal money from states that did not follow it.State attorneys general and other officials welcomed the decision, saying it protects voters’ rights and keeps elections fair. One said the President should focus on securing elections rather than making voting harder. The White House replied that the order is lawful and that they will try again if necessary. The President has also pushed for a new law in Congress to enforce citizenship proof, but that bill faces opposition. The judge’s ruling follows a pattern of legal battles over Trump’s election policies, which have been challenged in several courts. The Supreme Court is soon to decide whether mail ballots must arrive on Election Day, a question that could affect many states.