Court Blocks Republican Absentee Ballot Lawsuit In Important 2020 Swing State

A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked a Republican-backed lawsuit in Wisconsin over the state’s extended absentee ballot deadlines. Republican state lawmakers wanted the case to move to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where conservatives hold a majority.

Last week, U.S. District Judge William Conley gave voters in Wisconsin, a crucial swing state with 10 electoral votes, six additional days to get their absentee ballots to election clerks. Ballots postmarked by Election Day will still be counted if they are received by Nov. 9, Conley ruled.

Voting lawsuits have been a major issue leading up to the presidential election. States have been sued over cutoff dates for counting mailed ballots, as well as witness requirements, drop boxes for ballots and early voting.

There is expected to be an uptick in absentee voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump and other Republicans have claimed without evidence that mail-in ballots are ripe for fraud.

Wisconsin may see a surge in mail-in ballots due to a major uptick in COVID-19 infections, with 2,367 new cases reported on Tuesday alone. The state has at nearly 120,000 cases of the virus, with the death toll reaching 1,300.

Recent polls show Democratic nominee Joe Biden leading Trump in Wisconsin. An NBC/Marist poll showed Biden with a 10-point lead over Trump, 54% to 44%. The Cook Political Report rates Wisconsin as “Lean Democrat” in the presidential election.

In 2016, Trump pulled off an upset win over Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin, 47.22%-46.45%.

In a 2018 gubernatorial race, Democrat Tony Evers edged incumbent Republican Scott Walker, 49.54%-48.44%. Wisconsin has a Republican U.S. Senator, Ron Johnson, and a Democratic U.S. Senator, Tammy Baldwin.