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Wednesday, March 26
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New anti-voting order draws furious pushback

* After President Donald Trump issued ([link removed]) an executive order Tuesday that experts said could potentially disenfranchise millions, Democratic election officials and voting rights advocates swiftly vowed ([link removed]) to fight it.
* The greatest threat to Trump’s authoritarian dream is not the courts — it is free and fair elections, Marc wrote ([link removed]) , adding the president's latest illegal executive order is a wake-up call for those who believe the danger of election subversion has passed.

Trump tries to kill off vote by mail

* One provision from the anti-voting order looks like a bid to advance ([link removed]) a goal that for years has been a borderline obsession for Trump: cracking down on voting by mail. It could disenfranchise millions, especially disabled, older, rural and military voters.
* The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to “take all necessary action” against any states that count ballots received after Election Day. Currently 18 states allow mail-in and absentee ballots to be counted if they are received within varying timeframes, so long as they’re postmarked on or before Election Day.
* Barbara Smith Warner, former Oregon state representative and executive director of the National Vote at Home Institute, told Democracy Docket she isn’t surprised by the order. “I would say that the pre-announcement ([link removed]) [link removed] the Postal Service was the warning shot,” Warner said. “And in both of these situations, it continues to demonstrate that this is a power grab over things that they have no actual right to control.”

Challenge to pro-voting Michigan constitutional amendments heads to SCOTUS

* Michigan GOP lawmakers asked ([link removed]) the U.S. Supreme Court to review their ability to challenge voter-approved amendments to the state constitution that protect ballot access, claiming these initiatives undermine their authority to regulate federal elections.

The latest in Minnesota’s witness requirement challenge

* Earlier this week, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled ([link removed]) that the state’s requirement that absentee voters obtain the signature of a witness to cast an absentee ballot does not violate the Voting Rights Act or the Civil Rights Act. This case was brought by a pro-voting group last year.

Vet Trump’s judicial picks for their views on presidential power

* The foundation of our government is checks and balances — no one branch has absolute power. That's why Trump's judicial nominees should be thoroughly questioned on their views about presidential power, Keith Thirion of Alliance for Justice argued ([link removed]) in a new piece for Democracy Docket.

Hearings coming up tomorrow

* Courts in Washington, D.C. will hold hearings in two lawsuits. One challenges the unlawful firing of inspectors general, while the other seeks to stop the Trump administration from publicizing ([link removed]) the names of FBI agents involved in Jan. 6 and Trump's classified documents investigations.
* ​​The 9th Circuit will hear ([link removed]) oral argument in lawsuits challenging Washington's legislative map. A lower court adopted a new map under the Voting Rights Act to better represent Latino voters. Republican intervenors appealed this decision. The court will also hear Republicans’ appeal in a separate lawsuit challenging the new map as a racial gerrymander.

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