Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/20pdf/20a72_5hek.pdf
Page Number: 1

Cite as:  592 U. S. ____ (2020) 

1 

GORSUCH, J., dissenting 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

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No. 20A72 
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TIMOTHY K. MOORE, ET AL. v. DAMON CIRCOSTA, 
CHAIR, STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, ET AL. 

ON APPLICATION FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF 

[October 28, 2020] 

  The  application  for  injunctive  relief  presented  to  THE 
CHIEF JUSTICE and by him referred to the Court is denied. 
JUSTICE BARRETT took no part in the consideration or deci-
sion of this application. 
  JUSTICE THOMAS would grant the application. 
  JUSTICE GORSUCH, with whom JUSTICE ALITO joins, dis-
senting from denial of application for injunctive relief. 
  This  summer,  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina 
adopted  new  election  laws  expressly  designed  to  address 
the challenges COVID posed to a fast-approaching election.  
Among other things, the General Assembly reduced the wit-
ness  requirement  for  absentee  ballots  from  two  witnesses 
to one, N. C. Sess. Laws 2020–17 §1.(a); freed up more indi-
viduals to staff polling centers, §1.(b); created a mechanism 
to allow voters to track their ballots, §3.(a); enabled voters 
to  request  absentee  ballots  online,  §7.(a);  and  increased 
funding to ensure the State’s in-person and absentee voting 
infrastructure could withstand “the coronavirus pandemic,” 
§11.1(a)–(f ).    At  the  same  time,  the  General  Assembly 
judged it appropriate to retain certain other existing elec-
tion rules, like the State’s deadline for the receipt of absen-
tee ballots.  Accordingly, under state law, absentee ballots 
must  be  postmarked  on  or  before  election  day,  and  they 
must be received “not later than three days after” election