Supreme court overrules ballot deadline extension

Wisconsin polls

WASHINGTON: Siding with Wisconsin’s Republicanled legislature, the conservativemajority US Supreme Court refused yesterday to allow an extension ordered by a federal judge in the deadline for returning mailin ballots in the state, dealing a setback to Democrats.

In a fivethree vote with three liberal justices dissenting, the court left in place a lower court’s October 8 decision that blocked US District Judge William Conley’s ruling that would have let officials count ballots postmarked before polls close on election day on November 3 but arriving up to six days later.

The court action keeps in place a state policy that mailin ballots be in the hands of election officials by the close of polls.

Wisconsin is crucial to Republican President Donald Trump’s

Voting for Biden: 53%

Voting for Trump: 44%

Biden's advantage is marginally wider than his 51%43% lead the prior week. 33% said they already had voted. 52% said Biden would be better at handling the coronavirus pandemic. 38% said Trump would be better.

47% said Trump would be better at managing the economy. 45% said Biden would be better.

reelection

Democratic

Biden.

Liberal Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissenting opinion that the court’s decision ‘‘will disenfranchise large numbers of responsible voters in the midst of hazardous pandemic conditions’’. — Reuters

chances against challenger Joe