CNN Clarifies Comments on Impact of Mail-in Voting Rules on U.S. Troops

<p>CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer issued a clarification on Monday after suggesting that U.S. troops abroad would be affected by the Trump administration's changes to mail-in voting. During a segment on "The Situation Room" on Friday, Blitzer spoke with Democratic Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger regarding a lawsuit filed by Virginia and other states against President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at limiting mail-in voting, which received a 14-day temporary restraining order from a federal judge last week.</p><p>Spanberger stated, "The continued attacks that we're seeing from the Trump administration is really just an effort to get people fearful, to get people to stay home, and, in many cases, to eliminate what is a valid, safe, secure way for people to be able to have their voices heard and to vote." Blitzer noted that many military personnel in Virginia rely on mail-in ballots to participate in elections.</p><p>Spanberger confirmed this, saying, "It's members of the military service, of our diplomatic service, intelligence services, people serving overseas in service to our country who get their ballots mailed to them at the various postings throughout the world." However, at the end of Monday's program, Blitzer issued a "quick note of clarification" regarding his earlier comments.</p><p>He stated, "We discussed legal challenges to the Trump administration’s directives for the Postal Service on mail-in voting. A comment I made suggested that U.S. military and overseas voters' ballots would be impacted by these directives. I want to be clear right now: those ballots are exempt from the Postal Service’s new rules implementing the president’s March executive order." Blitzer further clarified that these groups are protected under the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act. A spokesperson for CNN referenced Blitzer's comments but did not provide additional remarks.</p>