Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall Defends Mail-Ballot Order Amid Legal Challenge

<p>Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican, stated that his Democratic counterparts do not prioritize election integrity in the same manner as Republicans do, as they challenge measures aimed at identifying illegal voters. This statement comes in response to a legal challenge from 25 Democratic state attorneys general against President Donald Trump's executive order, which includes provisions for federal agencies to assist states in ensuring that only citizens receive mail-in ballots and for the U.S. Postal Service to implement practices for tracking ballots.</p><p>Marshall commented, "The left, because they’re concerned about losing at the midterms, want to be able to obstruct this administration’s efforts to ensure the integrity of our elections," in an interview with Fox News Digital. This was ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Thursday before U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston.</p><p>He questioned the confidence of those opposing the measures in the security of their elections, suggesting that their objections may be politically motivated. Marshall led a letter in July from 13 Republican attorneys general supporting the U.S. Postal Service's follow-up on Trump's executive order, which initiated an audit of states' voter rolls.</p><p>Marshall asserted, "There shouldn't be a reason why we object to that, but yet Democrats simply don't want to have fair elections in a way that people can have confidence." Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic Attorneys General Association for comment but did not receive an immediate response.</p><p>Democrats have argued against the audit of voter rolls, claiming it could lead to disenfranchisement and chaos, labeling it as unconstitutional overreach and a partisan power grab. They express concern that refusal to share voter rolls with the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for eligibility crosschecks could result in the USPS halting the mailing of absentee ballots.</p><p>Judge Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, noted in her restraining order against the Trump administration that "USPS's interest in correcting an unsubstantiated problem through likely unconstitutional means is dwarfed by the overwhelming risk of pervasive disenfranchisement of citizens who need access to mail ballots in order to vote."</p><p>Marshall countered that the issue of voter fraud is documented, citing evidence from Alabama. He stated, "This is not a solution looking for a problem. This is in response to what we know is going on across the country. And this provides a commonsense, straightforward way for states to be able to ensure elections, but most importantly, for the people of this country to have belief that their elections in fact are accurate."</p><p>He expressed skepticism about the likelihood of the Obama-appointed judge siding with the Trump administration, stating, "I would be remiss if I didn't say that I would fully expect her to continue with the Democratic Party line." The Trump administration has filed a request with the First Circuit for a stay of the order, and Marshall indicated that they would continue to pursue the case.</p><p>Marshall emphasized that Republicans are not preventing anyone from obtaining an absentee ballot but are focused on ensuring the process is conducted legally and securely. He mentioned a barcode system that connects ballots directly to voters, asserting that this approach should be supported by both parties as a means to restore election integrity.</p><p>He referenced a 2005 bipartisan commission led by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker, which identified mailed absentee ballots as susceptible to fraud. Marshall concluded, "This is about securing elections, not interfering with states' abilities to conduct elections, and we think that we'll be able to eliminate many of the issues that we've seen, including in Alabama, that have occurred in the past."</p><p>The restraining order issued by Talwani will remain in effect for up to one more week while she considers a longer-term preliminary injunction blocking the rule. The hearing is set for Thursday in Boston, as the midterm mail-in ballot season begins.</p>