Supreme Court rejects GOP effort to block mail voting in Montana

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a bid by Republicans and the Trump campaign to block mail voting in Montana.

The emergency application was denied by Justice Elena Kagan without any additional comment or noted dissents.

The latest development comes two days after a California-based federal appeals court declined to halt a lower court order upholding Montana’s plan to carry out its vote, in part, through mail balloting.

The Republican challenge arose after Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock issued a directive in August that permitted Montana county officials to allow voting by mail.

The Trump campaign and various GOP groups brought a suit alleging that Bullock’s order was unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen, an Obama appointee, last month rejected the GOP claims.

The Supreme Court’s refusal on Thursday to reverse Christensen’s order comes after a similar ruling earlier this week by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit as a formal appeal continues to play out.