Nevada Rejects GOP Challenge to Non-Postmarked Ballots

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Facts

  • The Nevada Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Republican-led effort to block the counting of ballots with illegible or missing postmarks in the Nov. 5 election.[1]
  • In May, Democratic Nevada Sec. of State Cisco Aguilar told election officials that those ballots should be counted up until 5 pm on the Friday after the election in accordance with Nevada law.[1][2]
  • Former Pres. Donald Trump's campaign, the Nevada Republican Party, the Republican National Committee (RNC), and voter Scott Johnston sued to block those ballots from being counted in June.[3][1]
  • The state Supreme Court's decision upholds an August ruling by a district court judge, who rejected the plaintiffs' challenge on the grounds that it's important to count every eligible vote and there would be no harm caused because of the small number of affected ballots.[2]
  • The state Supreme Court further ruled that the RNC's argument that voters worried about the postmark could bring their ballots to the post office wasn't fair to homebound voters or those who live far from a post office.[2]
  • With less than a week before Election Day, courts in numerous states are issuing last-minute election rulings. In Pennsylvania this week, a federal judge dismissed a GOP-led challenge to overseas voters who cast ballots despite fewer verification measures.[4]

Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]USA Today, [3]The Nevada Independent and [4]Forbes.

Narratives

  • Republican narrative, as provided by Townhall. This is another devastating blow to election integrity in this and future elections. Democrats' efforts in Nevada, and several other swing states, to count votes that may be illegitimate is a clear strategy to steal this election from Trump and down-ballot candidates.
  • Democratic narrative, as provided by MSNBC. Fearful that they don't have the support to win the upcoming election, Republicans have opted for a litigation strategy that attempts to disenfranchise large swaths of swing-state electorates. Luckily, Americans still live in a democracy with legitimate courts that so far haven't sanctioned any of the GOP's efforts to limit whose votes will count.

Predictions