Nebraska Supreme Court rules people with felony records can vote in elections, reversing top election official’s ruling
PBS NewsHour1 day
Court Rulings Ease Voting Restrictions in 3 States
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Above: On October 15, 2024, a Doylestown resident drops off a mail-in ballot. Pennsylvania registered voters can vote "On Demand" by obtaining, filling out, and dropping off a mail-in or absentee ballot at their county election office. Image copyright: Hannah Beier/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
With the Nov. 5 US presidential election less than three weeks away, courts in Nebraska, Alabama, and Georgia this week loosened voting restrictions, many of which were passed after former Pres. Donald Trump, the current Republican presidential nominee, claimed the 2020 election was rigged against him.
In Alabama, a US district judge ruled in favor of the Justice Department and civil rights groups who sued over Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen's program to remove "noncitizens" registered to vote in that state.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
These rulings are huge victories for the democratic form of government. If Republicans had their way and any elected official could stop the certification of the votes or remove anyone deemed suspicious from the voting rolls, chaos would reign and the rule of law would be squashed.
Republican narrative
Unlike the Democrats, Republicans believe in enforcing the laws rather than assuming that their mere existence is enough to stop people from voting illegally. However, the legitimacy of the upcoming election will be hanging by a thread because of the inaction of the Biden administration, the Justice Department, and these types of rulings.
