usatoday--2020-08-14--Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba leaves bubble due to COVID-19 evaluation, out for playoffs

Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba left the NBA bubble and will not return this season as the 22-year-old undergoes a “ comprehensive post-coronavirus evaluation , ” the team said Friday .
Bamba acknowledged last week that he tested positive for COVID-19 in June , telling The Athletic , “ Everyone has something that they ’ re fighting through .
A lot of players , a lot of people in this country have fought through COVID , and I ’ m no different than the others .
But I feel like people need to know that this is a real thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take seriously.
” While the Magic , who next play top-seeded Milwaukee in a first-round series beginning Tuesday , did not reveal any more details in their news release , it ’ s clear that they ’ re concerned enough to keep him out of the playoffs .
Doctors have expressed worry about long-term health issues associated with COVID-19 , particularly how the disease affects the heart .
Bamba split time with Khem Birch as Orlando ’ s No .
2 center behind Nikola Vucevic for most of the season , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bamba played in just 11 minutes in two games and did not play in the final six seeding games .
He was listed out with a migraine for one game .
Magic coach Steve Clifford cited Bamba ’ s conditioning , and Bamba acknowledged he fell behind his teammates conditioning when they were able to attend individual workouts at the practice facility .
“ It was a pretty big setback without any access to the facility when things were ramping back up and guys were getting back in and we were kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was real , ” Bamba told The Athletic .

Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba leaves bubble due to COVID-19 evaluation, out for playoffs
Show Caption Hide Caption Infectious disease expert warns against playing football in non-bubble, pleads for sports leaders to confront governors SportsPulse: Mackenzie Salmon connected with one of Yale's top infectious diseases experts to get his take on the NFL and college football's attempt to play in a non-bubble format. He also pleaded for the leaders of the sports world to confront their local governments. USA TODAY
Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba left the NBA bubble and will not return this season as the 22-year-old undergoes a “comprehensive post-coronavirus evaluation,” the team said Friday.
Bamba acknowledged last week that he tested positive for COVID-19 in June, telling The Athletic, “Everyone has something that they’re fighting through. A lot of players, a lot of people in this country have fought through COVID, and I’m no different than the others. But I feel like people need to know that this is a real thing and this is something that we need to take seriously.”
While the Magic, who next play top-seeded Milwaukee in a first-round series beginning Tuesday, did not reveal any more details in their news release, it’s clear that they’re concerned enough to keep him out of the playoffs.
Doctors have expressed worry about long-term health issues associated with COVID-19, particularly how the disease affects the heart.
Bamba split time with Khem Birch as Orlando’s No. 2 center behind Nikola Vucevic for most of the season, but Birch received more minutes in the restart. Bamba played in just 11 minutes in two games and did not play in the final six seeding games. He was listed out with a migraine for one game.
Magic coach Steve Clifford cited Bamba’s conditioning, and Bamba acknowledged he fell behind his teammates conditioning when they were able to attend individual workouts at the practice facility.
“It was a pretty big setback without any access to the facility when things were ramping back up and guys were getting back in and we were kind of starting to feel like the restart was real,” Bamba told The Athletic.


usatoday--2020-08-14--New York to allow museums, aquariums, more to open. What you need to know

Bowling alleys , gyms , museums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will soon be allowed to open in New York with strict COVID-19 rules , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Friday .
Bowling alleys will be allowed to open Monday , being limited to 50 % of occupancy capacity and forced to follow other rules , such as bowlers must have a face covering and every other lane will remain closed .
Food and alcohol service will also be limited to wait service , reports USA TODAY Network 's New York State Team .
Museums , aquariums and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open in New York City on Aug. 24 with various COVID-19 restrictions , including operating at 25 % occupancy capacity .
In upstate communities , museums and other indoor venues opened previously .
The opening date and rules for gyms will be revealed on Monday , Cuomo said .
Cuomo said the openings are connected to New York 's low infection rate , which has hovered below 1 % over the past seven days .
`` Given the results that we have and given the progress we ’ ve made , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and adjustments , '' he said , referring to the openings .
The announcement came after gym and bowling alley owners have pleaded with Cuomo to allow them to reopen .
They have been closed since March , when New York shuttered many businesses to slow the spread of coronavirus , which has killed more than 25,200 New Yorkers , the most in the nation .
Gyms had been slated to reopen in Phase 4 of the state 's COVID-19 reopening process , which many communities outside New York City reached in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citing ongoing concerns about how droplets infected with the coronavirus can be inadvertently spread via air conditioning in crowded indoor spaces .
At the time , Cuomo also delayed the reopening of malls in part based on the same concerns about air ventilation .
But he allowed malls to reopen in communities outside New York City in early July , only if they have high-efficiency venting systems capable of reducing the spread of COVID-19 .
David Robinson is the state health care reporter for the USA TODAY Network New York .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed on Twitter : @ DrobinsonLoHud

New York to allow museums, aquariums, more to open. What you need to know
Show Caption Hide Caption Gym owners look to open Gym owners and elected officials spoke on the need to reopen gyms while at the Saw Mill Club in Mt. Kisco Aug. 13, 2020. Frank Becerra Jr., fbecerra@lohud.com
Bowling alleys, gyms, museums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will soon be allowed to open in New York with strict COVID-19 rules, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.
Bowling alleys will be allowed to open Monday, being limited to 50% of occupancy capacity and forced to follow other rules, such as bowlers must have a face covering and every other lane will remain closed. Food and alcohol service will also be limited to wait service, reports USA TODAY Network's New York State Team.
Museums, aquariums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will be allowed to open in New York City on Aug. 24 with various COVID-19 restrictions, including operating at 25% occupancy capacity. In upstate communities, museums and other indoor venues opened previously.
The opening date and rules for gyms will be revealed on Monday, Cuomo said.
Cuomo said the openings are connected to New York's low infection rate, which has hovered below 1% over the past seven days.
"Given the results that we have and given the progress we’ve made, we’re going to make some changes and adjustments," he said, referring to the openings.
Museums and cultural institutions can open in NYC starting on August 24.
25% occupancy. Timed ticketing required. Pre-set staggered entry.
Face coverings enforced and controlled traffic flow. — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 14, 2020
The announcement came after gym and bowling alley owners have pleaded with Cuomo to allow them to reopen. They have been closed since March, when New York shuttered many businesses to slow the spread of coronavirus, which has killed more than 25,200 New Yorkers, the most in the nation.
Gyms had been slated to reopen in Phase 4 of the state's COVID-19 reopening process, which many communities outside New York City reached in late June.
But Cuomo kept gyms closed, citing ongoing concerns about how droplets infected with the coronavirus can be inadvertently spread via air conditioning in crowded indoor spaces.
At the time, Cuomo also delayed the reopening of malls in part based on the same concerns about air ventilation. But he allowed malls to reopen in communities outside New York City in early July, only if they have high-efficiency venting systems capable of reducing the spread of COVID-19.
David Robinson is the state health care reporter for the USA TODAY Network New York. He can be reached at drobinson@gannett.com and followed on Twitter: @DrobinsonLoHud


usatoday--2020-08-14--How the NBA playoff play-in works for Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers

What is the NBA play-in game ?
To make the race for the eighth and final seed more exciting , the NBA introduced the play-in game , giving the ninth seed a chance to make the playoffs as long as it was four games or fewer behind the eighth seed .
This season , it applied in the Western Conference but not the Eastern Conference .
It works this way : the ninth seed , if it qualifies , has to beat the eighth seed twice to reach the playoffs , and the eighth seed has to win just one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eighth seed wins the first game , there is no second game .
To some extent , the NBA borrowed the idea from the NCAA men ’ s tournament which features play-in games to fill in spots in the 64-team bracket .
Memphis , which struggled at times in the bubble -- and the season-ending injury to Jaren Jackson Jr. didn ’ t help -- is in as the ninth seed , and Portland is the eighth seed .
The first play-in game is Saturday ( 2:30 p.m .
ET , ABC ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary , it will be played Sunday ( 4:30 p.m .
ET , ABC ) .
NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE : Dates , times and TV information for all first-round games 'STAY MY ASS HOME ' : How NBA teams are dealing with leaving safety of bubble GREAT WITH COFFEE : The biggest stories , every morning .
And we deliver .
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The NBA had considered this idea before the restart , and there were tentative plans to introduce an expanded play-in idea to the 2021-22 season .
That plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in one game and seeds 9-10 playing in another game .
The winner of 7-8 gets the seventh seed .
The winner of the 9-10 game then would play the loser of 7-8 for the final playoff spot .
The league hadn ’ t formalized that for the 2021-22 season but there was momentum to vote in favor of the idea .
The goal is to have more teams engaged in the playoff chase and perhaps curtail forms of tanking .
When the NBA suspended the season in March because of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the idea was revisited for implementation this season and determined if the ninth-seeded team was within four games of the eighth-seeded team , there would be a play-in event .
It was a success , creating excitement throughout the eight seeding games as several teams had a chance at the eighth seed .
New Orleans , Portland , Sacramento and San Antonio were all within four games of Memphis , and then the Phoenix Suns ’ unexpected 8-0 record pushed them into the mix as New Orleans and Sacramento faded .
Ultimately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eighth place or lower had a chance to reach the postseason .
Now , there is discussion among fans , media and team executives about implementing the play-in game on a permanent basis .

How the NBA playoffs play-in game works for Grizzlies, Trail Blazers
Show Caption Hide Caption Predicting the NBA Finals Sports Pulse: Jeff Zillgitt on who he thinks will make it to the NBA Finals this season SportsPulse, USA TODAY
What is the NBA play-in game?
To make the race for the eighth and final seed more exciting, the NBA introduced the play-in game, giving the ninth seed a chance to make the playoffs as long as it was four games or fewer behind the eighth seed.
This season, it applied in the Western Conference but not the Eastern Conference.
It works this way: the ninth seed, if it qualifies, has to beat the eighth seed twice to reach the playoffs, and the eighth seed has to win just one of the two games. If the eighth seed wins the first game, there is no second game.
To some extent, the NBA borrowed the idea from the NCAA men’s tournament which features play-in games to fill in spots in the 64-team bracket.
Memphis, which struggled at times in the bubble -- and the season-ending injury to Jaren Jackson Jr. didn’t help -- is in as the ninth seed, and Portland is the eighth seed.
The first play-in game is Saturday (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC), and if a second game is necessary, it will be played Sunday (4:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE: Dates, times and TV information for all first-round games
'STAY MY ASS HOME': How NBA teams are dealing with leaving safety of bubble
GREAT WITH COFFEE: The biggest stories, every morning. And we deliver. Sign up now!
The NBA had considered this idea before the restart, and there were tentative plans to introduce an expanded play-in idea to the 2021-22 season. That plan included seeds 7-10 with seeds 7-8 playing in one game and seeds 9-10 playing in another game. The winner of 7-8 gets the seventh seed. The winner of the 9-10 game then would play the loser of 7-8 for the final playoff spot.
The league hadn’t formalized that for the 2021-22 season but there was momentum to vote in favor of the idea. The goal is to have more teams engaged in the playoff chase and perhaps curtail forms of tanking.
When the NBA suspended the season in March because of the coronavirus pandemic and looked at a restart, the idea was revisited for implementation this season and determined if the ninth-seeded team was within four games of the eighth-seeded team, there would be a play-in event.
It was a success, creating excitement throughout the eight seeding games as several teams had a chance at the eighth seed. New Orleans, Portland, Sacramento and San Antonio were all within four games of Memphis, and then the Phoenix Suns’ unexpected 8-0 record pushed them into the mix as New Orleans and Sacramento faded.
Ultimately, six teams in the West either in eighth place or lower had a chance to reach the postseason.
Now, there is discussion among fans, media and team executives about implementing the play-in game on a permanent basis.
Follow USA TODAY NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.


usatoday--2020-08-14--Planned trip to the movies has a plot twist

Planned trip to the movies has a plot twist Tyler had no idea his movie date with dad would turn @ @ @ @ @ his older brother and best friend , Marine Cpl .
Nick Lanni .

Planned trip to the movies has a plot twist
Tyler had no idea his movie date with dad would turn into a surprise appearance from his older brother and best friend, Marine Cpl. Nick Lanni.
Militarykind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-14--Tropical Storm Josephine forms in Atlantic, the 10th storm of a record-setting season

Tropical Storm Josephine formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday morning , forecasters from the National Hurricane Center said .
The storm , which is the 10th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season , has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph .
Josephine shattered the early-season formation record for the J-named storm in the basin : The previous record belonged to Jose , which developed on Aug. 22 , 2005 .
In an average hurricane season , the 10th named storm doesn ’ t form until Oct. 19 .
As of the 5 p.m .
ET advisory from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 865 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands and traveling west-northwest at 16 mph .
No coastal watches or warnings were in effect .
Josephine is riding the underbelly of the Bermuda High .
Once it reaches a weakness in the counterclockwise swirl that typically lives between Bermuda and the Azores , it will take a more northerly heading .
AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said that `` we expect this system to move on a curved path to the west-northwest and then to the northwest in the coming days . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to the Leeward Islands in the northeastern part of the Caribbean this weekend .
Even if the center of the storm stays over the open water , the system could pass close enough to bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the Leeward Islands .
The storm is not forecast to strengthen into a hurricane , forecasters said , and may actually dissipate within the next five days .
So far this year , Cristobal , Danielle , Edouard , Fay , Gonzalo , Hanna and Isaias have also set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storms of their respective place in the alphabet .
Only Hanna and Isaias this year have developed into hurricanes .
Kimberly Miller reports for the Palm Beach Post ; Doyle Rice for USA TODAY On the heels of Isaias , forecasters say 10 more hurricanes are likely this season With 9 storms so far this hurricane season , what happens if we run out of names ?

Kimberly Miller and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

Tropical Storm Josephine forms in Atlantic, the 10th storm of a record-setting season
Show Caption Hide Caption Josephine to pass east and north of the Leeward Islands The tropical storm is slowly moving west-northwest and could make impacts through Saturday morning. Accuweather
Tropical Storm Josephine formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday morning, forecasters from the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm, which is the 10th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.
Josephine shattered the early-season formation record for the J-named storm in the basin: The previous record belonged to Jose, which developed on Aug. 22, 2005.
In an average hurricane season, the 10th named storm doesn’t form until Oct. 19.
As of the 5 p.m. ET advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Josephine was about 865 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands and traveling west-northwest at 16 mph.
No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.
Josephine is riding the underbelly of the Bermuda High. Once it reaches a weakness in the counterclockwise swirl that typically lives between Bermuda and the Azores, it will take a more northerly heading.
AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said that "we expect this system to move on a curved path to the west-northwest and then to the northwest in the coming days."
This projected path could take Josephine relatively close to the Leeward Islands in the northeastern part of the Caribbean this weekend.
Even if the center of the storm stays over the open water, the system could pass close enough to bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the Leeward Islands.
How to prepare for hurricane season It's important to take these steps before hurricane season. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
The storm is not forecast to strengthen into a hurricane, forecasters said, and may actually dissipate within the next five days.
So far this year, Cristobal, Danielle, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna and Isaias have also set records for being the earliest named Atlantic storms of their respective place in the alphabet. Only Hanna and Isaias this year have developed into hurricanes.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Kimberly Miller reports for the Palm Beach Post; Doyle Rice for USA TODAY
Hurricane season:
On the heels of Isaias, forecasters say 10 more hurricanes are likely this season
With 9 storms so far this hurricane season, what happens if we run out of names?


usatoday--2020-08-14--President Donald Trump's brother Robert Trump has been hospitalized, White House says

The White House confirms President Trump 's brother Robert has been hospitalized in New York .

President Trump's younger brother Robert hospitalized in New York
The White House confirms President Trump's brother Robert has been hospitalized in New York.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-14--President Trump says Biden's call for national mask mandate cannot be enforced

Pres .
Trump says Biden 's call for mask mandate can not be enforced President Trump says Biden 's call @ @ @ @ @ can not be enforced at Thursday 's White House news briefing .

Pres. Trump says Biden's call for mask mandate cannot be enforced
President Trump says Biden's call for a national mask mandate cannot be enforced at Thursday's White House news briefing.
USA TODAY, Associated Press


usatoday--2020-08-14--Jennifer Hudson, Billie Eilish, John Legend and others will perform at DNC

The Democratic National Convention announced Friday a slate of virtual musical performances that will take place over four days during next week 's convention .
Performers will include , and others : Leon Bridges , The Chicks , Common , Billie Eilish , Jennifer Hudson , John Legend , Billy Porter , Maggie Rogers , Prince Royce and Stephen Stills .
A 57-member youth choir assembled by the Commonwealth Youthchoirs — one singer from each state and U.S. territory — is also set to perform the National Anthem on Monday night .
“ In just three days , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will look and feel very different than past conventions ... these incredible artists will help us tell the story of where we are as a country today under Donald Trump ’ s failed leadership , and the promise of what we can and should be with Joe Biden as president , ” said Stephanie Cutter , 2020 Democratic National Convention program executive .
Modern conventions have typically featured big-name musical talent to top off the normally celebratory convention week .
The DNC hosted Alicia Keys , Lenny Kravitz and Lady Gaga in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Convention featured Martina McBride and Kid Rock .
The RNC has not yet announced a musical lineup or speaker schedule .
This year 's convention , which will take place Monday through Thursday under the banner `` Uniting America , '' was previously set for Milwaukee but moved to a virtual format due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The convention will take place from August 17-20 , airing from 9:00-11:00 PM EST .
The official live stream will be hosted on DemConvention.com .

Jennifer Hudson, Billie Eilish, John Legend and others will perform at DNC
Show Caption Hide Caption Joe Biden will not travel for 2020 DNC due to coronavirus concerns Joe Biden will not be traveling to Milwaukee for the Democratic National Convention due to coronavirus concerns. USA TODAY
The Democratic National Convention announced Friday a slate of virtual musical performances that will take place over four days during next week's convention.
Performers will include, and others: Leon Bridges, The Chicks, Common, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Billy Porter, Maggie Rogers, Prince Royce and Stephen Stills.
A 57-member youth choir assembled by the Commonwealth Youthchoirs — one singer from each state and U.S. territory — is also set to perform the National Anthem on Monday night.
“In just three days, we will kick off a Democratic National Convention that will look and feel very different than past conventions... these incredible artists will help us tell the story of where we are as a country today under Donald Trump’s failed leadership, and the promise of what we can and should be with Joe Biden as president,” said Stephanie Cutter, 2020 Democratic National Convention program executive.
Modern conventions have typically featured big-name musical talent to top off the normally celebratory convention week. The DNC hosted Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz and Lady Gaga in 2016, for instance, and the Republican National Convention featured Martina McBride and Kid Rock.
The RNC has not yet announced a musical lineup or speaker schedule.
This year's convention, which will take place Monday through Thursday under the banner "Uniting America," was previously set for Milwaukee but moved to a virtual format due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The convention will take place from August 17-20, airing from 9:00-11:00 PM EST. The official live stream will be hosted on DemConvention.com.


usatoday--2020-08-14--GOP Sen. Susan Collins urges U.S. Postal Service to 'promptly address' delivery delays

WASHINGTON – Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , has urged the United States Postal Service to reverse cuts that have slowed deliveries , calling the post office a `` lifeline '' for people in rural communities .
Collins raised concerns about the cutbacks Thursday , the same day President Donald Trump said he opposed increased Postal Service funding in part because of his objections to expanding mail-in voting .
In a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , Collins said she wanted to see him `` promptly address '' delays in mail delivery .
`` The USPS continues to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially for seniors , veterans , and those in rural areas who are depending on reliable mail delivery for essential goods and services that might otherwise be unavailable , '' Collins wrote .
The senator said she feared cost-cutting measures at the USPS could drive customers away , `` worsening the crisis facing the Postal Service . ''
In the COVID-19 relief package passed by the House , Democrats have asked for billions in increased funding for the Postal Service and help for states coping with a November election where many voters may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations have stalled between Democrats and the White House over the aid package , which would also include expanded unemployment benefits and help for American hit by the economic impacts of the pandemic .
Trump said Thursday he opposed a funding increase for the Post Office and linked the issue to mail-in voting .
`` They ( Democrats ) need that money in order to have the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , '' Trump said on Fox Business ' `` Mornings with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.5 billion for something that will turn out to be fraudulent .
That ’ s election money , basically , '' he said .
The president told reporters later that he would n't rule out signing COVID-19 relief legislation that included increased Postal Service funding .
Trump on the Postal Service : Trump opposes new funds for U.S .
Postal Service , saying he does n't want to help expand vote by mail Sen. Steve Daines , R-Mont.
, also wrote to the Postmaster General , saying in a letter last week that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negatively impact mail delivery for Montanans and unacceptably increase the risk of late prescriptions , commercial products , or bill delivery . ''
The two senators both said they supported increased funding for the Postal Service in a COVID-19 relief package .
Both Daines and Collins face competitive re-election contests this fall .
Polling shows tight races , and the two incumbents have both been outraised by their Democratic challengers .
Democrats have hammered the Trump administration over changes in service at the Postal Service , arguing the cuts would disrupt the increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , told reporters Thursday the Postal Service was a `` pillar of democracy '' and vowed to oppose cuts .
`` There are people who think that the post office is election central in this election , '' she said .
`` Maybe the president thinks that , too , and that 's why he wants to shut it down . ''

GOP Sen. Susan Collins urges U.S. Postal Service to 'promptly address' delivery delays
Show Caption Hide Caption Mail-in balloting increase puts the spotlight on the U.S. Postal Service With the coronavirus pandemic changing the overall conversation in the 2020 election, it’s also changing the way millions of Americans plan to vote...by mail in balloting. And that increase in vote-by-mail is going to place the United States Postal Service in the spotlight. Buzz60
WASHINGTON – Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has urged the United States Postal Service to reverse cuts that have slowed deliveries, calling the post office a "lifeline" for people in rural communities.
Collins raised concerns about the cutbacks Thursday, the same day President Donald Trump said he opposed increased Postal Service funding in part because of his objections to expanding mail-in voting.
In a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, Collins said she wanted to see him "promptly address" delays in mail delivery.
"The USPS continues to be a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for seniors, veterans, and those in rural areas who are depending on reliable mail delivery for essential goods and services that might otherwise be unavailable," Collins wrote.
The senator said she feared cost-cutting measures at the USPS could drive customers away, "worsening the crisis facing the Postal Service."
In the COVID-19 relief package passed by the House, Democrats have asked for billions in increased funding for the Postal Service and help for states coping with a November election where many voters may prefer to vote by mail. But negotiations have stalled between Democrats and the White House over the aid package, which would also include expanded unemployment benefits and help for American hit by the economic impacts of the pandemic.
Trump said Thursday he opposed a funding increase for the Post Office and linked the issue to mail-in voting.
"They (Democrats) need that money in order to have the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump said on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria."
"They want $3.5 billion for something that will turn out to be fraudulent. That’s election money, basically," he said.
The president told reporters later that he wouldn't rule out signing COVID-19 relief legislation that included increased Postal Service funding.
Trump on the Postal Service: Trump opposes new funds for U.S. Postal Service, saying he doesn't want to help expand vote by mail
Fact check: New postmaster general invested in Postal Service competitors
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., also wrote to the Postmaster General, saying in a letter last week that the USPS's service changes could "negatively impact mail delivery for Montanans and unacceptably increase the risk of late prescriptions, commercial products, or bill delivery."
The two senators both said they supported increased funding for the Postal Service in a COVID-19 relief package.
Both Daines and Collins face competitive re-election contests this fall. Polling shows tight races, and the two incumbents have both been outraised by their Democratic challengers.
Democrats have hammered the Trump administration over changes in service at the Postal Service, arguing the cuts would disrupt the increased numbers of mail-in ballots submitted this November.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Thursday the Postal Service was a "pillar of democracy" and vowed to oppose cuts.
"There are people who think that the post office is election central in this election," she said. "Maybe the president thinks that, too, and that's why he wants to shut it down."


usatoday--2020-08-14--Voting by mail is popular in Florida, despite President Trump's criticisms

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , nearly half of Florida voters cast their ballots by mail in the March primaries , up sharply from the less than one-third who did so only two years before in 2018 's general election .
Now as coronavirus cases continue to climb , state elections officials say even more are likely to do so in November , making vote-by-mail a deciding factor in the 2020 race in Florida and , likely by extension , the country .
President Donald Trump has spent much of this year calling it a practice ripe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where mail-in ballots have been part of elections for a generation , the process is not a controversial one — even among the GOP .
Florida voting rights advocates , operatives from both parties , elections analysts and the state ’ s supervisors of elections consider it a non-issue .
And most expect the process to run relatively smoothly , even if the 2020 presidential contest promises to be an unpredictable one .
“ I do n't think that by mail is controversial , ” said Patti Brigham , president of the League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the process in this state and elsewhere .
“ I do think it 's being used as a partisan tool , which is extremely unfortunate .
Spreading misinformation that vote by mail is fraudulent is a form of voter suppression .
Because it 's just not true.
” Trump , himself a 2018 voter by mail in Florida , has alleged that `` universal mail-in voting '' will cause `` fraudulent '' votes in 2020 and could even be counterfeited by foreign nations , something a number of fact-checkers have rated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November election may even need to be delayed .
He backtracked on some of that criticism this month , saying that Florida 's system , which he has participated in , is not the problem .
In an Aug. 4 tweet , the president called Florida ’ s system “ Safe and Secure , Tried and True.
” Florida ’ s system of allowing voters to request a mail-in ballot for any reason is similar to those in 30 other states , according to the National Council of State Legislatures .
( Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting '' in 2016 , though it has had no-excuse-needed mailed votes for two decades . )
Gov .
Ron DeSantis , who last month was asked during a news conference about the president 's comments , also expressed support for Florida 's mail-in system .
`` There 's verification , and it 's a process that I think has worked , '' he said .
`` And so I support Florida ’ s system .
I would not support just mass mailing everyone a ballot regardless of whether they 've asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems : Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah and Washington .
Florida ’ s two-decade-old mail-in ballot system can handle an increase in such votes , said Craig Latimer , Hillsborough County 's elections supervisor and president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections , which represents supervisors in all 67 counties .
One key factor : Florida may begin verifying vote-by-mail ballots — such as making sure signatures match those on record — 22 days before the election .
Those ballots are machine counted and preliminary returns are reported on election night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be received by 7 p.m. on election night .
“ We 've dealt with this .
The only difference we 're talking about here is a little bit of volume , ” Latimer said .
“ We may have to do two shifts to get things done , but it 's not something that 's going to hold up and be a showstopper on election night.
” Still , voting by mail has had its problems .
And some people worry that a sharp increase in such ballots could snarl the budget-strapped U.S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential allegations of wrongdoing on election night if the vote is close .
A study conducted by the ACLU on the 2018 election found that voters were more likely to have their votes count if they filled out ballots at polling stations .
It also found that ballots cast by voters of color and those who are younger , first-time and overseas military voters were twice as likely as older and white voters to have their ballots rejected .
The rejection rates also increased from the 2012 and 2016 elections , the study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots cast by voters between 18 and 21 were rejected in Florida 's 2018 general election .
Compare that to the rejection rates of those between 30 and 44 ( 2.1 % ) and those over 65 ( 0.6 % ) .
The rejection rate for all voters was 1.2 % .
Blacks and Hispanics also had higher rejection rates than most voters in 2018 .
About 1.9 % of mailed votes cast by Black voters were rejected , compared to 0.9 % of whites ' mailed votes .
Hispanic voters had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
The report did not give the reasons for all rejected votes , but it did note some common mistakes such as not updating signatures of record with local elections authorities to make sure signed ballots match them .
Voting by mail will be a first-time experience for many 2020 voters .
Educating them about how to make sure their ballots will get counted is a key priority , groups representing Blacks and Hispanics say .
`` Vote by mail signature matching is a very , very big deal , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for policy and advocacy for UnidosUS , the nation 's largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization .
It 's unclear how much of a role voting by mail will play with Florida 's many Hispanic communities , he said .
`` I think , by and large , we ( traditionally ) vote early or go to the polls on Election Day , '' he said .
`` We 're much more of a younger community here in Florida , so it 's not something we typically do . ''
Shirley Chapman , first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Myers , has been leading the vote-by-mail drive in that Gulf Coast community .
Fear of the pandemic will likely drive an increase in Black votes by mail , she said .
`` The signatures have to be the same , otherwise they will be rejected , '' Chapman said .
`` The sad part is sometimes you do n't know .
Hopefully ( if there 's a problem ) , you 'll find out in time to get something done about it .
So we 're encouraging everybody to be sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exact same way they did when they registered . ''
Voting rights groups and the state of Florida settled a lawsuit last month over concerns that `` structural racism '' existed in the voting system .
The voting groups had called for an extension of the voting by mail deadlines , free postage for mailers and allowing paid workers to collect mail-in ballots from voters .
While they did n't get everything they wanted , the groups said at the time they accepted the state 's pledge that county supervisors of elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting by mail and use as many early-voting days as are available .
More : Fact check : Voters should request ballots 2 weeks early , but mail is n't intentionally slow More : Federal COVID-19 funds for Florida election supervisors delayed over a month , expected this week The Republican Party , which sided with the state , also declared a victory .
Trump alluded to it in his Aug. 4 tweet , and state Sen. Joe Gruters , the Florida GOP chair , told the USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` fair '' election system .
Some also worry that the financially strained U.S .
Postal Service , which is charged with delivering ballots , could result in delayed deliveries to election offices and otherwise eligible ballots missing their tally deadlines .
Trump added fuel to those worries on Thursday when he told Fox Business that he opposes the Democrats ' coronavirus relief bill because it would provide $ 25 billion to the postal service to help with the expected influx of ballots .
`` Now they need that money in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , '' Trump said .
`` Now , in the meantime , they aren ’ t getting there .
By the way , those are just two items .
But if they don ’ t get those two items , that means you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting.
” The public seems to largely have confidence in the system .
A poll conducted in July by St. Pete Polls on behalf of the AARP and Florida Politics found that 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure ” or “ mostly secure ” about casting a vote by mail .
Nearly half of the respondents said they plan to vote by mail this year .
The poll has a margin of error of 1.8 % .
The survey also found that 93 % of Floridians are also confident in the validity of the state ’ s elections system .
But the survey did find a slightly negative shift in Republican views of voting by mail , said Zayne Smith , associate state director of advocacy for AARP Florida .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trusting the process and maybe a little bit dissuaded from voting by mail because of different comments , whether it be from the president , from party leaders on either side of the aisle , '' Smith said .
Another poll , conducted by the University of Florida in late July , suggests the partisan divide on mail voting may be growing .
While it found that more than 60 % of Floridians plan to vote by mail in November , that intention is far stronger among Democrats ( 79.1 % ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64.7 % ) , compared to 44.5 % of Republicans who plan to do so .
Only 14 % of Republicans said their means of voting would change compared to 2016 .
Three times as many Democrats and nearly the same number of unaffiliated voters have said they are likely to vote differently , the poll found .
`` The President ’ s supporters are less likely to say they ’ re worried about their health when it comes to voting , and less likely to say they will change their vote method @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith , chairman of the University of Florida Political Science Department , said in a news release .
`` The President has been railing against voting by mail , Republican voters have been listening ; his latest equivocation is likely too little , too late.
” As of this week , Florida Republicans trailed Democrats in mail-in ballot requests by nearly 432,000 .
That may be why Trump changed his tune on voting by mail , at least as it relates to Florida , said Joshua Scacco , an associate professor at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communication strategies .
He noted that the GOP traditionally led on voting by mail in the state .
`` The Republican Party of Florida has gamed its operations so much around mail voting , and banking those votes early , that what they 're going to have to do is shift their operation to get voters out in a different way , '' Scacco said .
`` So what the president has done is make it harder for Republicans to actually win the state . ''
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the vote .
Gone are mass rallies drawing hundreds or thousands of supporters .
And encouraging people to stand in lines at polling stations is potentially dangerous in a state demographically older than much of the country .
The Joe Biden campaign has decided to forgo door-to-door voter canvassing , believing it could endanger volunteers and residents , said Kevin Muñoz , Biden 's Florida spokesman .
The president 's continued criticism of voting by mail is harmful and is an attempt to suppress voting , he said .
`` Time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his lack of reliability and inconsistencies on so many issues important to our community .
When it comes to the act of voting — the very core of our democracy — we can not afford to have inconsistencies that undermine our community 's faith and trust in participating in the democratic process , '' Muñoz said .
`` Vote-by-mail is safe . ''
Gruters , the Florida GOP chair , said the Democratic Party 's emphasis on voting by mail ca n't match the enthusiasm Florida GOP voters have for Trump .
Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , while Biden `` hides in his basement . ''
Encouraging voters to cast ballots by mail , while important , is n't the GOP 's priority , he said .
`` When you have low voter intensity like the Democrats have , they need to do everything they can to try to get as many voters to the polls as we can on our side , '' Gruters said .
`` Our intensity is off the charts .
People love the president . ''
Whomever Floridians vote for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many more may do so by mail .
As of Aug. 13 , two days before the end of early voting and five days before the primary , more than 1.8 million had voted by mail , according to state statistics .
That 's compared to the 321,624 who had voted early .
More Democrats voted by mail — 913,496 versus the GOP 's 643,663 .
And more Republicans voted in person — 179,688 versus the Democrats ' 122,016 .
Frank Gluck is a watchdog reporter with The News-Press and the Naples Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news-press.com or on Twitter : @ FrankGluck

Voting by mail is popular in Florida, despite President Trump's criticisms
Show Caption Hide Caption Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of Florida voters cast their ballots by mail in the March primaries, up sharply from the less than one-third who did so only two years before in 2018's general election.
Now as coronavirus cases continue to climb, state elections officials say even more are likely to do so in November, making vote-by-mail a deciding factor in the 2020 race in Florida and, likely by extension, the country.
President Donald Trump has spent much of this year calling it a practice ripe for fraud. But in Florida, where mail-in ballots have been part of elections for a generation, the process is not a controversial one — even among the GOP.
Florida voting rights advocates, operatives from both parties, elections analysts and the state’s supervisors of elections consider it a non-issue. And most expect the process to run relatively smoothly, even if the 2020 presidential contest promises to be an unpredictable one.
“I don't think that by mail is controversial,” said Patti Brigham, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, speaking about the process in this state and elsewhere. “I do think it's being used as a partisan tool, which is extremely unfortunate. Spreading misinformation that vote by mail is fraudulent is a form of voter suppression. Because it's just not true.”
Trump, himself a 2018 voter by mail in Florida, has alleged that "universal mail-in voting" will cause "fraudulent" votes in 2020 and could even be counterfeited by foreign nations, something a number of fact-checkers have rated as false. He then suggested that the November election may even need to be delayed.
Trump backs mail in voting in Florida battleground In an abrupt reversal, President Donald Trump now is encouraging voters in the critical swing state of Florida to vote by mail after months of criticizing the practice. (August 4) AP
He backtracked on some of that criticism this month, saying that Florida's system, which he has participated in, is not the problem.
In an Aug. 4 tweet, the president called Florida’s system “Safe and Secure, Tried and True.”
Florida’s system of allowing voters to request a mail-in ballot for any reason is similar to those in 30 other states, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. (Florida did away with the term "absentee voting" in 2016, though it has had no-excuse-needed mailed votes for two decades.)
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who last month was asked during a news conference about the president's comments, also expressed support for Florida's mail-in system.
"There's verification, and it's a process that I think has worked," he said. "And so I support Florida’s system. I would not support just mass mailing everyone a ballot regardless of whether they've asked for it.”
Five states have all-mail election systems: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
Florida’s two-decade-old mail-in ballot system can handle an increase in such votes, said Craig Latimer, Hillsborough County's elections supervisor and president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections, which represents supervisors in all 67 counties.
One key factor: Florida may begin verifying vote-by-mail ballots — such as making sure signatures match those on record — 22 days before the election. Those ballots are machine counted and preliminary returns are reported on election night after the polls close. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on election night.
“We've dealt with this. The only difference we're talking about here is a little bit of volume,” Latimer said. “We may have to do two shifts to get things done, but it's not something that's going to hold up and be a showstopper on election night.”
Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail! #MAGA — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2020
Potential problems
Still, voting by mail has had its problems. And some people worry that a sharp increase in such ballots could snarl the budget-strapped U.S. Postal System and add fuel to potential allegations of wrongdoing on election night if the vote is close.
A study conducted by the ACLU on the 2018 election found that voters were more likely to have their votes count if they filled out ballots at polling stations.
It also found that ballots cast by voters of color and those who are younger, first-time and overseas military voters were twice as likely as older and white voters to have their ballots rejected. The rejection rates also increased from the 2012 and 2016 elections, the study found.
For instance, 5.4% of ballots cast by voters between 18 and 21 were rejected in Florida's 2018 general election. Compare that to the rejection rates of those between 30 and 44 (2.1%) and those over 65 (0.6%). The rejection rate for all voters was 1.2%.
Blacks and Hispanics also had higher rejection rates than most voters in 2018. About 1.9% of mailed votes cast by Black voters were rejected, compared to 0.9% of whites' mailed votes. Hispanic voters had their mailed votes rejected 2.1% of the time.
The report did not give the reasons for all rejected votes, but it did note some common mistakes such as not updating signatures of record with local elections authorities to make sure signed ballots match them.
Voting by mail will be a first-time experience for many 2020 voters. Educating them about how to make sure their ballots will get counted is a key priority, groups representing Blacks and Hispanics say.
"Vote by mail signature matching is a very, very big deal," said Jared Nordlund, Florida state director for policy and advocacy for UnidosUS, the nation's largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization. It's unclear how much of a role voting by mail will play with Florida's many Hispanic communities, he said.
"I think, by and large, we (traditionally) vote early or go to the polls on Election Day," he said. "We're much more of a younger community here in Florida, so it's not something we typically do."
Shirley Chapman, first vice president of the NAACP in Fort Myers, has been leading the vote-by-mail drive in that Gulf Coast community. Fear of the pandemic will likely drive an increase in Black votes by mail, she said.
"The signatures have to be the same, otherwise they will be rejected," Chapman said. "The sad part is sometimes you don't know. Hopefully (if there's a problem), you'll find out in time to get something done about it. So we're encouraging everybody to be sure to fill out their ballots and sign them the exact same way they did when they registered."
Voting rights groups and the state of Florida settled a lawsuit last month over concerns that "structural racism" existed in the voting system.
The voting groups had called for an extension of the voting by mail deadlines, free postage for mailers and allowing paid workers to collect mail-in ballots from voters.
While they didn't get everything they wanted, the groups said at the time they accepted the state's pledge that county supervisors of elections will work harder to educate voters about voting by mail and use as many early-voting days as are available.
Related coverage: Voting rights groups and state of Florida settle vote-by-mail lawsuit
More: Fact check: Voters should request ballots 2 weeks early, but mail isn't intentionally slow
More: Federal COVID-19 funds for Florida election supervisors delayed over a month, expected this week
The Republican Party, which sided with the state, also declared a victory. Trump alluded to it in his Aug. 4 tweet, and state Sen. Joe Gruters, the Florida GOP chair, told the USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida this week that the decision helped maintain Florida's "fair" election system.
Some also worry that the financially strained U.S. Postal Service, which is charged with delivering ballots, could result in delayed deliveries to election offices and otherwise eligible ballots missing their tally deadlines.
Trump added fuel to those worries on Thursday when he told Fox Business that he opposes the Democrats' coronavirus relief bill because it would provide $25 billion to the postal service to help with the expected influx of ballots.
"Now they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump said. "Now, in the meantime, they aren’t getting there. By the way, those are just two items. But if they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting.”
Partisan divide in confidence?
The public seems to largely have confidence in the system.
A poll conducted in July by St. Pete Polls on behalf of the AARP and Florida Politics found that 65% of Florida voters are “very secure” or “mostly secure” about casting a vote by mail. Nearly half of the respondents said they plan to vote by mail this year. The poll has a margin of error of 1.8%.
The survey also found that 93% of Floridians are also confident in the validity of the state’s elections system.
But the survey did find a slightly negative shift in Republican views of voting by mail, said Zayne Smith, associate state director of advocacy for AARP Florida.
“We certainly are finding people not trusting the process and maybe a little bit dissuaded from voting by mail because of different comments, whether it be from the president, from party leaders on either side of the aisle," Smith said.
Another poll, conducted by the University of Florida in late July, suggests the partisan divide on mail voting may be growing.
While it found that more than 60% of Floridians plan to vote by mail in November, that intention is far stronger among Democrats (79.1%) and those with no stated party affiliation (64.7%), compared to 44.5% of Republicans who plan to do so.
Only 14% of Republicans said their means of voting would change compared to 2016. Three times as many Democrats and nearly the same number of unaffiliated voters have said they are likely to vote differently, the poll found.
"The President’s supporters are less likely to say they’re worried about their health when it comes to voting, and less likely to say they will change their vote method from four years ago," Daniel Smith, chairman of the University of Florida Political Science Department, said in a news release. "The President has been railing against voting by mail, Republican voters have been listening; his latest equivocation is likely too little, too late.”
As of this week, Florida Republicans trailed Democrats in mail-in ballot requests by nearly 432,000.
That may be why Trump changed his tune on voting by mail, at least as it relates to Florida, said Joshua Scacco, an associate professor at the University of South Florida who studies political communication strategies.
He noted that the GOP traditionally led on voting by mail in the state.
"The Republican Party of Florida has gamed its operations so much around mail voting, and banking those votes early, that what they're going to have to do is shift their operation to get voters out in a different way," Scacco said. "So what the president has done is make it harder for Republicans to actually win the state."
A key get-out-the-vote strategy?
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered how campaigns traditionally have tried to get out the vote.
Gone are mass rallies drawing hundreds or thousands of supporters. And encouraging people to stand in lines at polling stations is potentially dangerous in a state demographically older than much of the country.
The Joe Biden campaign has decided to forgo door-to-door voter canvassing, believing it could endanger volunteers and residents, said Kevin Muñoz, Biden's Florida spokesman. The president's continued criticism of voting by mail is harmful and is an attempt to suppress voting, he said.
"Time and time again, Donald Trump has shown his lack of reliability and inconsistencies on so many issues important to our community. When it comes to the act of voting — the very core of our democracy — we cannot afford to have inconsistencies that undermine our community's faith and trust in participating in the democratic process," Muñoz said. "Vote-by-mail is safe."
Gruters, the Florida GOP chair, said the Democratic Party's emphasis on voting by mail can't match the enthusiasm Florida GOP voters have for Trump. Republicans have more than 180 people canvassing door-to-door, he said, while Biden "hides in his basement."
Encouraging voters to cast ballots by mail, while important, isn't the GOP's priority, he said.
"When you have low voter intensity like the Democrats have, they need to do everything they can to try to get as many voters to the polls as we can on our side," Gruters said. "Our intensity is off the charts. People love the president."
Whomever Floridians vote for this fall, August's primaries are suggesting many more may do so by mail.
As of Aug. 13, two days before the end of early voting and five days before the primary, more than 1.8 million had voted by mail, according to state statistics. That's compared to the 321,624 who had voted early.
More Democrats voted by mail — 913,496 versus the GOP's 643,663. And more Republicans voted in person — 179,688 versus the Democrats' 122,016.
Frank Gluck is a watchdog reporter with The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Connect with him at fgluck@news-press.com or on Twitter: @FrankGluck


usatoday--2020-08-14--Trump campaign, Republican groups sue Iowa election officials over absentee ballot forms

IOWA CITY , Iowa –President Donald Trump 's campaign and several national Republican political committees are suing auditors in two Iowa counties who they accuse of having gone `` rogue '' in issuing absentee ballot request forms ahead of November 's election .
Already , the Johnson County Auditor 's Office is reporting 9,634 requests in their system with more than 3,000 awaiting processing .
And Linn County Auditor Joel Miller told the Press-Citizen he had already received an estimated 40,000 requests .
The suit asks the courts to invalidate these absentee ballot requests , requiring voters to resubmit before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive their absentee ballot .
Citing public health concerns , the auditors announced plans on July 1 to mail every active registered voter a request already containing information the voter will need to request an absentee ballot ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election .
The prepopulated form only requires the voter to check that the information is correct , sign the request and send it to the county auditor .
While neither auditor will comment on pending litigation , the auditors defended their actions in the past .
Since they already have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law prevents their office staff from filling in missing information on voters ' behalf , they argue that prepopulating the forms helps remove barriers to voting .
The Republican National Committee , Donald J. Trump for President Inc. , the National Republican Senatorial Committee , the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican Party of Iowa announced lawsuits Wednesday .
They were filed in the district courts for Johnson and Linn counties .
The suits seek to invalidate tens of thousands of ballot request forms already returned to the auditors on the grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the forms than those being sent by the Iowa Secretary of State 's Office .
At the end of July , the same group of Republican organizations sought to dismiss a lawsuit from the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa and the group Majority Forward , which challenged a new state law barring county auditors from filling in missing information when voters request absentee ballots .
More states turn to absentee ballots as an safety measure during the pandemic .
However , Iowa 's state officials say , if not checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This despite a lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud in previous mail-in elections .
This summer , state Republicans have gone as far as to add additional oversight over fellow Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate 's emergency election powers to make sure absentee request forms meet the party 's expectations .
Linn and Johnson are the second and fourth-most populated counties in the state .
As of August , Johnson County had 91,616 active registered voters : 54 % were registered Democrats ; just 19 % were registered Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 40 % were registered Democrats ; 27 % were registered Republicans .
The lawsuit specifically relates to what kind of information can be included on absentee ballot request forms sent to active registered voters .
State Republicans believe that only the election 's date and that the ballot is for a general election should be completed on voters ' behalf .
The county auditors are being sued for sending out request forms that are already populated with all of the required information and only need to be signed and returned .
Vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request to block Rhode Island from accepting absentee ballots without witnesses '' Iowans overwhelmingly support voter ID laws to uphold the integrity of our elections , and we strongly believe election officials should be upholding current state law , not defying it , '' Jeff Kaufmann , the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa , said in a statement .
`` While Iowa County Auditors have gone rogue and rewritten the rules for absentee ballot security , President Trump and his team are once again standing up for election integrity and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and securely cast their ballot this fall , '' Matthew Morgan , general counsel for Trump 's reelection campaign , said in a news release .
`` Dropping thousands of ballot applications with personal information already filled out in the mail is wildly irresponsible.
” The dust-up over mail-in voting comes after Pate announced record-breaking voter participation after sending absentee ballot request forms to active registered voters ahead of Iowa 's June 2 primaries .
According to Pate 's office 's website , more than 411,000 of the ballots cast in June 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number that dramatically outpaced the 38,000 absentee votes cast in the 2016 primaries .
After the primary election , though , Republican Gov .
Kim Reynolds signed a law that dictated secretaries of state can not issue ballot request forms without approval from Iowa 's Legislative Council , a body comprised of members from both the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives and which is controlled by Republicans .
On July 1 , the council rejected a push from the Legislature 's Democrats to have ballot request forms mailed out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert and Linn County Auditor Joel Miller announced their plans to send absentee ballot request forms to their respective counties ' active registered voters .
Both counties ' forms are prepopulated with a voter 's name , four-digit voter PIN , date of birth and other information that the voter is required to provide in order for a ballot to be issued .
Voters requesting a ballot are asked to review the information and ensure it is correct , sign the form and return it in a prepaid envelope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met and approved a plan proposed by Pate , clearing the way for his office to send every active registered voter a form .
The council stipulated , however , that the forms distributed by the Secretary of State 's office would include just the date of November 's election and that the ballot requested would be for a general election .
Election 2020 : Union warns of U.S .
Postal Service cost cuts as states prepare for mail-in voting If the secretary of state 's office 's forms are returned to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information , the measure signed into law on June 25 prevents the offices from filling in missing information or correcting errors .
`` How can you tell me that what I 'm doing is wrong when all I 'm doing is promoting voting .
I 'm not targeting one party and not another , '' Weipert told the Press-Citizen in July .
The Press-Citizen reached out to Weipert and Miller , who said he was unable to comment on pending litigation .
Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness was not immediately available for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this possible .
Subscribe today at Press-Citizen.com/Subscribe .

Zachary Oren Smith, Iowa City Press-Citizen

Trump campaign, Republican groups sue Iowa election officials over absentee ballot forms
Show Caption Hide Caption Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
IOWA CITY, Iowa –President Donald Trump's campaign and several national Republican political committees are suing auditors in two Iowa counties who they accuse of having gone "rogue" in issuing absentee ballot request forms ahead of November's election.
Already, the Johnson County Auditor's Office is reporting 9,634 requests in their system with more than 3,000 awaiting processing. And Linn County Auditor Joel Miller told the Press-Citizen he had already received an estimated 40,000 requests.
The suit asks the courts to invalidate these absentee ballot requests, requiring voters to resubmit before an Oct. 24 deadline in order to receive their absentee ballot.
Citing public health concerns, the auditors announced plans on July 1 to mail every active registered voter a request already containing information the voter will need to request an absentee ballot ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election. The prepopulated form only requires the voter to check that the information is correct, sign the request and send it to the county auditor.
While neither auditor will comment on pending litigation, the auditors defended their actions in the past. Since they already have the required information and because a new law prevents their office staff from filling in missing information on voters' behalf, they argue that prepopulating the forms helps remove barriers to voting.
Mail-in balloting increase puts the spotlight on the U.S. Postal Service With the coronavirus pandemic changing the overall conversation in the 2020 election, it’s also changing the way millions of Americans plan to vote...by mail in balloting. And that increase in vote-by-mail is going to place the United States Postal Service in the spotlight. Buzz60
The Republican National Committee, Donald J. Trump for President Inc., the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican Party of Iowa announced lawsuits Wednesday. They were filed in the district courts for Johnson and Linn counties.
The suits seek to invalidate tens of thousands of ballot request forms already returned to the auditors on the grounds that the auditors included more information on the forms than those being sent by the Iowa Secretary of State's Office.
At the end of July, the same group of Republican organizations sought to dismiss a lawsuit from the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa and the group Majority Forward, which challenged a new state law barring county auditors from filling in missing information when voters request absentee ballots.
More states turn to absentee ballots as an safety measure during the pandemic. However, Iowa's state officials say, if not checked, the system here could be abused. This despite a lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud in previous mail-in elections. This summer, state Republicans have gone as far as to add additional oversight over fellow Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate's emergency election powers to make sure absentee request forms meet the party's expectations.
Linn and Johnson are the second and fourth-most populated counties in the state. As of August, Johnson County had 91,616 active registered voters: 54% were registered Democrats; just 19% were registered Republicans. Linn County had 146,784 active registered voters: 40% were registered Democrats; 27% were registered Republicans.
The lawsuit specifically relates to what kind of information can be included on absentee ballot request forms sent to active registered voters. State Republicans believe that only the election's date and that the ballot is for a general election should be completed on voters' behalf. The county auditors are being sued for sending out request forms that are already populated with all of the required information and only need to be signed and returned.
Vote by mail: Supreme Court rejects GOP request to block Rhode Island from accepting absentee ballots without witnesses
"Iowans overwhelmingly support voter ID laws to uphold the integrity of our elections, and we strongly believe election officials should be upholding current state law, not defying it," Jeff Kaufmann, the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, said in a statement.
"While Iowa County Auditors have gone rogue and rewritten the rules for absentee ballot security, President Trump and his team are once again standing up for election integrity and the right of every eligible voter to safely and securely cast their ballot this fall," Matthew Morgan, general counsel for Trump's reelection campaign, said in a news release. "Dropping thousands of ballot applications with personal information already filled out in the mail is wildly irresponsible.”
Absentee Ballot Request forms: This summer's hot-button issue
The dust-up over mail-in voting comes after Pate announced record-breaking voter participation after sending absentee ballot request forms to active registered voters ahead of Iowa's June 2 primaries.
According to Pate's office's website, more than 411,000 of the ballots cast in June's primaries came from absentee voters — a number that dramatically outpaced the 38,000 absentee votes cast in the 2016 primaries.
After the primary election, though, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law that dictated secretaries of state cannot issue ballot request forms without approval from Iowa's Legislative Council, a body comprised of members from both the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives and which is controlled by Republicans. On July 1, the council rejected a push from the Legislature's Democrats to have ballot request forms mailed out to registered voters.
The same day, Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert and Linn County Auditor Joel Miller announced their plans to send absentee ballot request forms to their respective counties' active registered voters.
Both counties' forms are prepopulated with a voter's name, four-digit voter PIN, date of birth and other information that the voter is required to provide in order for a ballot to be issued. Voters requesting a ballot are asked to review the information and ensure it is correct, sign the form and return it in a prepaid envelope.
On July 17, the council met and approved a plan proposed by Pate, clearing the way for his office to send every active registered voter a form.
The council stipulated, however, that the forms distributed by the Secretary of State's office would include just the date of November's election and that the ballot requested would be for a general election.
Election 2020: Union warns of U.S. Postal Service cost cuts as states prepare for mail-in voting
If the secretary of state's office's forms are returned to a county auditor's office without the correct information, the measure signed into law on June 25 prevents the offices from filling in missing information or correcting errors.
"How can you tell me that what I'm doing is wrong when all I'm doing is promoting voting. I'm not targeting one party and not another," Weipert told the Press-Citizen in July.
The Press-Citizen reached out to Weipert and Miller, who said he was unable to comment on pending litigation. Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
Follow Zachary Oren Smith on Twitter @Zacharyos.
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usatoday--2020-08-15--Donald Trump keeps blasting 'universal' mail voting. But few states are planning that in November

WASHINGTON — As he unleashes a barrage of attacks on voting by mail , President Donald Trump has increasingly warned that `` universal '' mail-voting poses the biggest danger for voter fraud and threat to democracy .
But only nine states and the District of Columbia so far plan to hold universal mail-in elections – in which ballots are automatically mailed to all registered voters without needing to first request one .
And with early mail-voting set to begin as early as September in some states , election experts say it 's unlikely many more states would have time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief package passed by House Democrats would require states to mail absentee ballots to registered voters – but it has gained no traction in the Senate and talks on the aid bill are stalled .
Instead , most states are preparing to make mail ballots an option available by request .
That includes several states encouraging the method during the pandemic by mailing voters applications for absentee ballots .
Five of the universal mail-voting states already planned to conduct mostly all-mail elections before the coronavirus pandemic , and only one of the nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battleground in the race for president between Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
'He 's scaring our own voters ' : Republicans run into a Donald Trump problem as they push mail voting In-person polling places , although reduced in many states , remain available even in states that vote fully by mail .
New Jersey on Friday became the latest state to decide to send ballots out to all voters .
`` It 's a tiny number of states that do this , '' said Lawrence Norden , director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Justice at the New York School of Law .
`` And they 're not the states that are probably going to determine the outcome of the presidential election .
`` In the vast majority of states , voters are given the option to vote by mail , and we should expect that if the primaries were any indication , that many , many people are going to choose that option . ''
Trump and Republicans have drawn a distinction between absentee voting offered to seniors , the military , people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in person on Election Day .
The president says he is OK with this – in fact , Trump and First Lady Melania Trump requested absentee ballots in Florida on Wednesday .
But he opposes ballots automatically sent to registered voters .
Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah , Washington were the only universal vote-by-mail states before the pandemic .
California , Nevada , Vermont and New Jersey have since signed on for the November election .
In addition , Montana , North Dakota and Nebraska allow individual counties to decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters .
A New York Times analysis found that 76 % of voters will have the choice to vote-by-mail this November , but only 18 % are set to automatically receive a ballot in the mail .
Trump routinely slams the several weeks it took New York to count mail ballots following its June 23 state primary , as well as voter fraud allegations out of Paterson , New Jersey , to push his argument that the country is not ready for widespread mail-voting and that it 's ripe for fraud .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – to all its registered voters , but John Conklin , spokesman for the New York Board of Election said it 's unlikely the state will send applications to all voters in the November election , citing cost considerations .
All New York voters will still be able to cite the fear of contracting the coronavirus to request a mail ballot .
No winner on election night ?
Mail-in ballots could put presidential outcome in doubt for weeks New Jersey mailed ballots to all voters for its primary and will do so again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any voter to request absentee ballots without an excuse .
`` His attacks , by and large , have been on elections that have been conducted as no-excuse absentee ( elections ) , and he seems to say absentee voting is OK , '' Norden said .
`` Certainly his remarks on the subject are not logistically consistent and they 're confusing if you 're taking him by his word . ''
More : In dramatic shift , half of Americans fear difficulties voting in November election , poll says The pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-voting , produced record-setting absentee voting totals during recent primaries and is expected to do so in November .
Some states absorbed the deluge of ballots with few hiccups .
Others saw long lines in the limited number of polling sites that remained opened , while states like Pennsylvania and New York took weeks to count all absentee ballots .
Most did not send ballots to all voters .
More : ' A substantial challenge ' : What Kentucky , New York tell us about voting in a pandemic come November Nevertheless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floating the idea of delaying the election , said `` universal mail-in voting '' will make the 2020 election the most `` INACCURATE AND FRAUDULENT Election in history . ''
`` Absentee ballots , by the way , are fine , '' Trump said Thursday .
`` But the universal mail-ins that are just sent all over the place , where people can grab them and grab stacks of them , and sign them and do whatever you want , that ’ s the thing we ’ re against . ''
These statements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No states send ballots to people who are not registered voters , and states use signature verification tools to ensure the authenticity of ballots .
`` The president , I think , does n't understand the process , '' said Amber McReynolds , CEO of the National Vote At Home Institute .
In 34 states , including Pennsylvania and New Jersey , voters even before the pandemic , could vote absentee without needing an excuse .
Several states sent mail-ballot applications to all voters in their primaries and are doing the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 states , including New York , where voters must provide an excuse to receive an absentee ballot – being over 65 years old , out of town during Election Day or in the military , for example – they can now cite coronavirus as a reason to receive a mail mail ballots .
Some states like Kentucky , which opened absentee voting to all voters for its primary election , have said they are n't in November .
In Tennessee , the state Supreme Court ruled that concerns about COVID-19 could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote by mail .
More : Fear of COVID-19 will not be reason to vote absentee in November , Tennessee Supreme Court rules Despite Trump 's warnings , the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice at the New York School of Law said it 's more likely for an American to `` get struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud . ''
Out of billions of votes cast across all U.S. elections from 2000 to 2012 , one analysis found only 491 cases of absentee voter fraud .
Trump continued his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week during a press briefing at Bedminster Golf Club when he announced plans to sign four executive orders to help families struggling during the pandemic .
In opposing the coronavirus relief bill that passed the House , dubbed the HEROES Act , Trump accused Democrats of wanting to force states to have universal mail-in balloting regardless of whether they have the infrastructure '' They want to steal an election , '' Trump said .
`` That ’ s all this is all about : They want to steal the election . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the Nevada mail-in voting bill Trump wants to block Democrats reject that assertion .
They also argue `` universal '' mail-voting means something else – voting conducted entirely by mail .
Drew Hammill , deputy chief of staff for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , said the election measures in the bill would n't result in `` universal '' mail voting because in-person voting sites would remain open .
The bill would give states $ 3.6 billion for election preparedness , which could be used for making safety accommodations for in-person voting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also require accessible polling places and at least 15 days of early voting , among other provisions .
`` I do n't really use the term 'universal vote-by-mail ' or 'all vote-by-mail , '' said McReynolds , who previously oversaw predominantly mail elections in Denver .
`` You 're not confined or constrained to only vote by mail .
To me , if you say 'universal vote-by-mail ' , that 's it . ''
McReynolds said ballots sent to voters automatically or after a request are `` fundamentally the same thing '' – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one state to another .
`` He 's kind of using a false term as a premise .
He 's ( warning ) against something that does n't exist in a lot of ways . ''
Trump links opposition to more postal service funding to mail-voting Appearing on the Fox Business Network this week , Trump linked his opposition to $ 25 billion for the U.S .
Postal Service , also proposed in the HEROES Act , to the expected surge in mail ballots expected in November .
`` ( Democrats ) need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , '' Trump said .
`` If they don ’ t get those two items , that means you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting because they ’ re not equipped to have it . ''
More : Experts held 'war games ' on the Trump vs. Biden election .
Their finding ?
Brace for a mess Trump has taken particular aim at Nevada , this month tweeting that the Nevada legislature 's decision to send mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' orchestrated by the state 's Democratic Gov .
Steve Sisolok .
The Trump campaign sued Nevada seeking to stop its plan .
`` Their infrastructure is a total disaster , '' Trump said .
`` They don ’ t want to have signature verification , they don ’ t want to have any of the safeguards that you need .
But Nevada 's ' plan does have signature verification .
And although Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske , a Republican , did not support the plan , her office said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ensure no voter is allowed to cast more than one ballot in any given election .
Cegavske said she was not aware of any fraud in the state 's June primary , when the state also sent ballots to all Nevada registered voters .
More : Trump campaign sues Nevada over mail-in ballot law before November election The president 's messaging took another turn last week when Trump singled out the battleground state of Florida .
In a tweet , he said his Florida supporters should request an absentee ballot and vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican-run battleground state is `` Safe and Secure , Tried and True . ''
One week later , Trump made his personal request for a Florida absentee ballot .
Florida is among the 34 states that offer absentee ballots to all eligible voters without needing an excuse .
Some Republicans worry that Trump 's harsh rhetoric about mail-voting could hurt his own chances in swing states and give an edge to Democrats , who have embraced vote-by-mail expansion during the pandemic .
Florida Democrats have requested nearly 600,000 more absentee ballots than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It is evolving , '' University of Florida Political Scientist Michael McDonald , an expert on mail voting , said of Trump 's message on mail-voting .
`` Republicans are listening to Trump and it 's causing these huge disparities in ballot requests where Democrats are well outpacing Republicans in mail-ballot requests . ''
He speculated the Trump campaign , concerned by these numbers , probably asked Trump to change his tone .
`` Maybe that 's how they 've eased Trump into changing his stance on his rhetoric on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states . ''

Donald Trump keeps blasting 'universal' mail voting. But few states are planning that in November
Show Caption Hide Caption Mail-in votes, USPS caught in COVID-19 relief negotiations President Donald Trump has offered conflicting statements about supplementary funding for the U.S. Postal Service. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — As he unleashes a barrage of attacks on voting by mail, President Donald Trump has increasingly warned that "universal" mail-voting poses the biggest danger for voter fraud and threat to democracy.
But only nine states and the District of Columbia so far plan to hold universal mail-in elections – in which ballots are automatically mailed to all registered voters without needing to first request one. And with early mail-voting set to begin as early as September in some states, election experts say it's unlikely many more states would have time to make that switch.
A coronavirus pandemic relief package passed by House Democrats would require states to mail absentee ballots to registered voters – but it has gained no traction in the Senate and talks on the aid bill are stalled.
Instead, most states are preparing to make mail ballots an option available by request. That includes several states encouraging the method during the pandemic by mailing voters applications for absentee ballots.
Five of the universal mail-voting states already planned to conduct mostly all-mail elections before the coronavirus pandemic, and only one of the nine states, Nevada, is considered a battleground in the race for president between Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
'He's scaring our own voters': Republicans run into a Donald Trump problem as they push mail voting
In-person polling places, although reduced in many states, remain available even in states that vote fully by mail. New Jersey on Friday became the latest state to decide to send ballots out to all voters.
"It's a tiny number of states that do this," said Lawrence Norden, director of the Election Reform Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York School of Law. "And they're not the states that are probably going to determine the outcome of the presidential election.
"In the vast majority of states, voters are given the option to vote by mail, and we should expect that if the primaries were any indication, that many, many people are going to choose that option."
'Not logically consistent'
Trump and Republicans have drawn a distinction between absentee voting offered to seniors, the military, people with disabilities and others who are unable to vote in person on Election Day. The president says he is OK with this – in fact, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump requested absentee ballots in Florida on Wednesday. But he opposes ballots automatically sent to registered voters.
Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, Washington were the only universal vote-by-mail states before the pandemic. California, Nevada, Vermont and New Jersey have since signed on for the November election. In addition, Montana, North Dakota and Nebraska allow individual counties to decide whether to mail ballots to all registered voters.
A New York Times analysis found that 76% of voters will have the choice to vote-by-mail this November, but only 18% are set to automatically receive a ballot in the mail.
Trump routinely slams the several weeks it took New York to count mail ballots following its June 23 state primary, as well as voter fraud allegations out of Paterson, New Jersey, to push his argument that the country is not ready for widespread mail-voting and that it's ripe for fraud.
More: President Trump requests mail-in ballot for upcoming Florida primary, despite rhetoric
New York mailed ballot applications – not ballots – to all its registered voters, but John Conklin, spokesman for the New York Board of Election said it's unlikely the state will send applications to all voters in the November election, citing cost considerations. All New York voters will still be able to cite the fear of contracting the coronavirus to request a mail ballot.
No winner on election night? Mail-in ballots could put presidential outcome in doubt for weeks
New Jersey mailed ballots to all voters for its primary and will do so again in November. The state already allowed any voter to request absentee ballots without an excuse.
"His attacks, by and large, have been on elections that have been conducted as no-excuse absentee (elections), and he seems to say absentee voting is OK," Norden said. "Certainly his remarks on the subject are not logistically consistent and they're confusing if you're taking him by his word."
More: In dramatic shift, half of Americans fear difficulties voting in November election, poll says
Trump slams Nevada lawmakers over mail-in voting President Donald Trump says his administration plans to sue Nevada after the state's lawmakers passed a bill to mail active voters ballots ahead of the November election amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Aug. 3) AP
Spike in mail ballots doesn't mean 'universal'
The pandemic, combined with state efforts' to promote mail-voting, produced record-setting absentee voting totals during recent primaries and is expected to do so in November. Some states absorbed the deluge of ballots with few hiccups. Others saw long lines in the limited number of polling sites that remained opened, while states like Pennsylvania and New York took weeks to count all absentee ballots.
Most did not send ballots to all voters.
More: 'A substantial challenge': What Kentucky, New York tell us about voting in a pandemic come November
Nevertheless, Trump, in a tweet this month floating the idea of delaying the election, said "universal mail-in voting" will make the 2020 election the most "INACCURATE AND FRAUDULENT Election in history."
"Absentee ballots, by the way, are fine," Trump said Thursday. "But the universal mail-ins that are just sent all over the place, where people can grab them and grab stacks of them, and sign them and do whatever you want, that’s the thing we’re against."
These statements are false, according to election experts. No states send ballots to people who are not registered voters, and states use signature verification tools to ensure the authenticity of ballots.
"The president, I think, doesn't understand the process," said Amber McReynolds, CEO of the National Vote At Home Institute.
In 34 states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, voters even before the pandemic, could vote absentee without needing an excuse. Several states sent mail-ballot applications to all voters in their primaries and are doing the same in November.
In most of the 16 states, including New York, where voters must provide an excuse to receive an absentee ballot – being over 65 years old, out of town during Election Day or in the military, for example – they can now cite coronavirus as a reason to receive a mail mail ballots. Only six states won't allow mail-voting for all voters in the November election. The state Supreme Court in Tennessee, for example, ruled that concerns about COVID-19 could not be used as a reason to vote by mail, a change from the state's primary election held earlier this month.
More: Fear of COVID-19 will not be reason to vote absentee in November, Tennessee Supreme Court rules
Despite Trump's warnings, the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice at the New York School of Law said it's more likely for an American to "get struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud." Out of billions of votes cast across all U.S. elections from 2000 to 2012, one analysis found only 491 cases of absentee voter fraud.
Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Democrats argue 'universal' mail-voting means something else
Trump continued his attacks on "universal" mail voting last week during a press briefing at Bedminster Golf Club when he announced plans to sign four executive orders to help families struggling during the pandemic.
In opposing the coronavirus relief bill that passed the House, dubbed the HEROES Act, Trump accused Democrats of wanting to force states to have universal mail-in balloting regardless of whether they have the infrastructure
"They want to steal an election," Trump said. "That’s all this is all about: They want to steal the election."
More: What you need to know about the Nevada mail-in voting bill Trump wants to block
Democrats reject that assertion. They also argue "universal" mail-voting means something else – voting conducted entirely by mail.
Drew Hammill, deputy chief of staff for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said the election measures in the bill wouldn't result in "universal" mail voting because in-person voting sites would remain open. The bill would give states $3.6 billion for election preparedness, which could be used for making safety accommodations for in-person voting in addition to mail-voting equipment. It would also require accessible polling places and at least 15 days of early voting, among other provisions.
Some mail-voting advocates share that view.
"I don't really use the term 'universal vote-by-mail' or 'all vote-by-mail," said McReynolds, who previously oversaw predominantly mail elections in Denver. "You're not confined or constrained to only vote by mail. To me, if you say 'universal vote-by-mail', that's it."
McReynolds said ballots sent to voters automatically or after a request are "fundamentally the same thing" – subject to the same verification processes from one state to another.
"He's kind of using a false term as a premise. He's (warning) against something that doesn't exist in a lot of ways."
Trump's claims of mail-in voter fraud disputed Voters in five US states go to the polls Tuesday as election security experts say there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud through mail-in voting. (August 4) AP
Trump links opposition to more postal service funding to mail-voting
Appearing on the Fox Business Network this week, Trump linked his opposition to $25 billion for the U.S. Postal Service, also proposed in the HEROES Act, to the expected surge in mail ballots expected in November.
"(Democrats) need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump said. "If they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting because they’re not equipped to have it."
More: Experts held 'war games' on the Trump vs. Biden election. Their finding? Brace for a mess
Trump has taken particular aim at Nevada, this month tweeting that the Nevada legislature's decision to send mail ballots to all voters "latenight coup" orchestrated by the state's Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolok. The Trump campaign sued Nevada seeking to stop its plan.
"Their infrastructure is a total disaster," Trump said. "They don’t want to have signature verification, they don’t want to have any of the safeguards that you need.
But Nevada's' plan does have signature verification. And although Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, did not support the plan, her office said the state has many voting protections including safeguards that ensure no voter is allowed to cast more than one ballot in any given election.
Cegavske said she was not aware of any fraud in the state's June primary, when the state also sent ballots to all Nevada registered voters.
More: Trump campaign sues Nevada over mail-in ballot law before November election
The president's messaging took another turn last week when Trump singled out the battleground state of Florida. In a tweet, he said his Florida supporters should request an absentee ballot and vote by mail because the election system in the Republican-run battleground state is "Safe and Secure, Tried and True." One week later, Trump made his personal request for a Florida absentee ballot.
Florida is among the 34 states that offer absentee ballots to all eligible voters without needing an excuse.
Some Republicans worry that Trump's harsh rhetoric about mail-voting could hurt his own chances in swing states and give an edge to Democrats, who have embraced vote-by-mail expansion during the pandemic. Florida Democrats have requested nearly 600,000 more absentee ballots than Republicans, 1.9 million vs. 1.3 million.
"It is evolving," University of Florida Political Scientist Michael McDonald, an expert on mail voting, said of Trump's message on mail-voting. "Republicans are listening to Trump and it's causing these huge disparities in ballot requests where Democrats are well outpacing Republicans in mail-ballot requests."
He speculated the Trump campaign, concerned by these numbers, probably asked Trump to change his tone. "Maybe that's how they've eased Trump into changing his stance on his rhetoric on this – focusing it on these all mail-ballot states."
Contributing: Associated Press. Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.