Supreme Court won't block Rhode Island's eased absentee voting rules

The Supreme Court said Thursday that it will not block Rhode Island's move to ease its requirements for absentee voting during November's election.

Why it matters: The decision is a loss for Republicans, who had requested an emergency order as the state is expected to begin mailing out its ballots.

• Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented.

The backdrop: Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo's state government waived a requirement that absentee voters must sign their ballots in the presence of either two witnesses or one notary.

• Republicans argued that the coronavirus pandemic would not prevent voters from getting the required signatures.
• The court said that the fact that "no state official has expressed opposition" to the change invalidated the GOP's challenge.