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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.