Cedar Rapids, Iowa (RI) — An Iowa judge has ruled in favor of the Republican Party and President Trump’s campaign and nullified about 45-thousand absentee ballot request forms from Linn County voters.
Linn County Auditor Joel Miller mailed forms that were filled out with the voter’s name and voter I-D number. Republicans sued, arguing that violated the Iowa Secretary of State’s order that only blank forms be mailed out. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says the judge’s ruling is a big victory for fair elections. Miller says his office will notify affected Linn County voters that the forms they’ve submitted have been invalidated and, by mid-September, he’ll do another mailing of BLANK absentee ballot request forms to Linn County voters.
Iowa Democratic Party chairman Mark Smith says the judge’s ruling undermines the right to vote and the party may appeal the ruling. The Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, and the Iowa G-O-P have similar legal action pending against the Johnson and Woodbury County Auditors who ALSO mailed-out filled-in forms for REQUESTING absentee ballots. The Iowa Secretary of State got legislators’ approval to mail a blank form to every active voter in the state. County auditors cannot start SENDING the absentee ballots TO voters until October 5th.
