A coalition of Democratic-led states and voting rights organizations filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court this week arguing that President Donald Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting would bar millions of Americans from casting ballots. The groups are asking the court to block enforcement of the order while legal challenges proceed.
The executive order, which the administration has defended as a safeguard against election fraud, would tighten requirements around who can vote by mail and under what circumstances. Opponents argue the restrictions are both constitutionally suspect and practically devastating, particularly for elderly voters, people with disabilities, and rural residents who depend on mail balloting as their primary means of participation.
Montana has a long tradition of robust mail and absentee voting. The state's geography — spread across 147,000 square miles with polling places sometimes hours apart — makes mail voting a practical necessity for a significant portion of the electorate, not a convenience. Any federal restriction on mail balloting would carry particular weight here.
The Supreme Court has not yet indicated when it will take up the matter. Montana's congressional delegation and Secretary of State's office had not issued public statements on the pending case as of this week.