The Associated Press reports that the Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge from Republican state lawmakers in Pennsylvania against President Biden's executive order aimed at increasing voter registration.
The Supreme Court's rejection of the appeal means that lower court dismissals of the lawsuit will stand. The Republican lawmakers had argued that the executive order was an unconstitutional attempt to interfere in the upcoming November election. However, their claims failed to gain traction in the lower courts.
This decision comes after the Supreme Court had previously declined to expedite the case in May. The rejection of the appeal signifies that the Biden administration's voter registration initiative can proceed without further legal obstacles from this particular challenge.
Nine Republican secretaries of state and eleven members of Congress had urged the Supreme Court to intervene in the case. Their involvement underscores the partisan divide surrounding voter registration efforts and the role of federal agencies in the process.
The Republican officials argued that the executive order overstepped presidential authority and encroached on states' rights to manage their own elections. They expressed concerns about potential federal interference in state-run election processes.
Despite these objections, the Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case means that the lower court rulings dismissing the lawsuit will remain in effect. This outcome represents a setback for those seeking to limit federal involvement in voter registration initiatives.
The Biden administration has consistently defended the executive order as a lawful exercise of presidential power. Officials argue that the order aligns with existing federal laws that require certain agencies to offer voter registration services.
Supporters of the order maintain that it is a necessary step to increase voter participation and make the registration process more accessible, particularly for underrepresented communities. They contend that the initiative simply aims to remove barriers to registration for those who are already qualified to vote.
The administration's stance is that the executive order does not infringe on state authority but rather complements state efforts by leveraging federal resources to reach eligible voters.
In addition to dismissing the challenge to Biden's executive order, the Supreme Court also rejected two separate appeals related to the 2020 presidential election. These cases stemmed from baseless claims made by Republicans regarding voting machines and software produced by Dominion Voting Systems.
One of the rejected appeals came from Fulton County, Pennsylvania, questioning a state high court ruling involving voting machines. The other appeal involved claims from individuals across the country alleging that Dominion had attempted to silence them.
These rejections further reinforce the Supreme Court's reluctance to entertain unfounded allegations of widespread fraud or irregularities in the 2020 election.
The Supreme Court's rejection of the Republican challenge to President Biden's voter registration executive order allows the initiative to proceed. The decision upholds lower court dismissals of the lawsuit, which claimed the order was an unconstitutional interference in elections. Additionally, the Court rejected related appeals concerning baseless claims about voting machines in the 2020 election, further distancing itself from unfounded election fraud allegations.
