Secretary of State Diego Morales of Indiana issued a warning to more than 120 federal agencies in the state, cautioning them against providing voter registration services without state approval. Morales cited a three-year-old executive order from President Joe Biden, which directed federal agencies to engage in election activity and expand access to voter registration. In response, Morales emphasized that states should have the authority to oversee their own elections without federal overreach.
The warning from Morales’ office came in the form of a letter sent to federal agencies, highlighting the need for state approval before engaging in voter registration activities. Morales argued that agencies must be designated as “voter registration agencies” by the state in order to conduct such activities. Failure to do so could result in violations of Indiana and federal laws.
This move by Morales is part of a broader trend of conservative pushback against Biden’s executive order on promoting access to voting. Conservative activists and politicians have been challenging the order, with Morales and other Republican secretaries of state urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case on the matter. The latest rejection of the order from Morales reflects a stance taken by several states in resisting federal interference in their election processes.
Conservative interest groups praised Morales for his actions, commending him for standing up against federal overreach and protecting Indiana’s elections. The move is seen as a step towards safeguarding state autonomy in the electoral process, as states across the country grapple with the implications of Biden’s executive order.
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