SCOTUS Blocks New Restrictions for 2026 Elections

By: Andrew Nick, Mason Votes Contributor

There’s been a lot of confusion lately about mail-in ballots, but voters planning to utilize this popular method can take comfort in the Supreme Court’s September 14th order that declined to allow a new rule designed to limit mail-in ballot delivery by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to take effect.

In the brief and unsigned order by the court, Justice Kavanaugh concurred with the majority, noting that to let the new rule take effect in the current election cycle would be “arbitrary and capricious…because state and local election officials do not have sufficient time to reasonably implement the rule before the elections.”

Many appreciate the convenience of voting by mail: not having to drive to the polls, stand in line, or contend with bad weather. The method has been around for decades, but its popularity has increased since COVID-19. According to the States United Democracy Center, one in three Americans voted by mail in 2022 and 2024, spanning millions of voters across political parties—18% of Republicans and 26% of Democrats.

In August, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that enlisted the United States Postal Service in an attempt to alter the process. The executive order called for “a unique Intelligent Mail barcode” for each ballot’s outer envelope and would have limited eligibility to vote by mail to individuals whose name appeared on new State Citizenship Lists: “USPS shall not transmit mail-in or absentee ballots from any individual unless those individuals have been enrolled on a State-specific list.”

In early September, an anonymous whistleblower warned Congress that the technology required for USPS to implement the new requirements was untested and could potentially lead to “catastrophic failure” and “derail the midterm elections.” One alleged flaw in the ballot verification process could have resulted in entire batches of ballots getting disqualified if just one ballot failed to match against State Citizen Lists, potentially disenfranchising thousands of voters over a single error.

Then the legal battle began. Judge Indira Talwani of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued three blocks on the measure, ending with a permanent block on September 4th. The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to step in on September 6th and they blocked the executive order in a seven-to-two ruling on September 14th. Justices Alito and Thomas were the lone dissenters.

In Virginia, voters apply online to vote by mail and have the option to join the absentee list for future elections, ensuring a ballot appears every cycle.

The deadline to register to vote and request a mail-in ballot is Friday, October 23rd.

Click here to request your mail-in ballot in VA >

Click here to register/verify using the VA Dept. of Elections’ Citizen Portal >

Three Options for Fairfax Voters

By: Tiffany Boggs, Mason Votes Contributor

With the 2026 midterm elections less than 40 days away, voters in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District face a choice between three candidates to represent them for the next two years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Nicknamed “the people’s house,” the U.S. House of Representatives is the lower house of Congress that works with the Senate to pass legislation. As outlined in Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, each state elects their own representatives “every second year” and the number of members each state can send to Washington is apportioned based on population.

Voters in the 11th Congressional District face a choice this November between incumbent Democrat James Walkinshaw, Republican Arthur G. Purves, and Green Party candidate Dianne Blais.

James Walkinshaw’s Leadership Vision

James Walkinshaw is the incumbent in the race and previously served for over a decade as chief of staff to the late Congressman Gerry Connolly. After Connolly’s passing in 2025, Walkinshaw won a special election to fill the seat occupied by Connolly for 16 years.

• Preventing domestic violence & protecting survivors: “James is working to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by improving services for victims, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and protecting the rights of non-citizen survivors to seek immigration relief.”
• Reducing gun violence: “In Congress, he supports legislation to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, close the Charleston loophole, require background checks on all gun sales, and opposes federal concealed carry mandates that override state protections.”
• Investing in education: “In Congress, James fights to protect the Department of Education, fully fund IDEA and Title I, and increase support for military-connected students through the federal Impact Aid program.”
• Expanding access to affording housing: “James believes that health care is a human right—not a privilege reserved for the wealthy or well-connected. As Congressman Connolly’s Chief of Staff, he helped to pass the Affordable Care Act, extending coverage to millions of Americas. During Trump’s first term, he helped Connolly beat back Trump’s repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Last year, he fought to prevent Republicans from doubling the healthcare premiums for middle class families.”
• Defending reproductive freedom: “James believes that access to comprehensive reproductive health care—including contraception, IVF, abortion, prenatal care, and cancer screenings—is a fundamental right. As Chairman of the Board’s Legislative Committee, he led the successful effort to include protection of reproductive freedom in Fairfax County’s legislative platform and supported County efforts to expand access in the wake of the Dobbs decision.”

To learn more about Walkinshaw’s campaign, visit: jameswalkinshaw.org

Arthur G. Purves’ Leadership Vision

Arthur Purves is a retired computer programmer and has been president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance for 29 years. He previously served as treasurer for the Fairfax Committee of 100, was a member of the Fairfax County Meals Tax Task Force and Hunter Mill Citizen Budget Committee, and served on three Fairfax County Public Schools advisory committees.

• Vet immigrants before they enter: “Do not let in the drug- and sex-traffickers and gang members from whom other immigrants are trying to flee.”
• Poverty and mental illness cause gun violence: “That complex gun laws reduce crime is debatable. What’s not debatable is that these laws turn law-abiding citizens into inadvertent felons. To end gun violence, fix schools and clean up food. Public schools perpetuate poverty and as already noted ultra-processed food causes mental illness.”
• Abortion: “Keep abortion legal for those rare cases but encourage marriage. Ninety percent of abortions are performed on healthy mothers with healthy babies. Calling abortion the “Fundamental Right to Reproductive Freedom” is Orwellian. Abortion cancels reproduction. Call legal abortion what it is: Permission to take a life.”
• Public schools perpetuate poverty: “Students that have not mastered reading and arithmetic by third grade rarely catch up and graduate unable to compete in the information age. The high school minority student achievement gap first appears in third grade. For a century public schools have embraced “progressive education”, which was anti-phonics and anti-drill, so students depending on classroom instruction do not master the basics. Those who do are tutored at home.”
• The alternative to big government is self-sufficient families: “Tax hikes make families less self-sufficient. Bring back good jobs. Have schools that actually teach reading and arithmetic. Stop chronic disease: Eat real food. End the war on fossil fuels to reduce gas and food prices.”

To learn more about Purves’ campaign, visit: votepurves.org

Dianne Blais ’ Leadership Vision

Dianne Blais earned a degree in economics from Mary Washington and served as a vice president in the private sector. In addition to raising four children and hosting over 100 foster children, Blais has been active in numerous organizations including the League of Women Voters and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

• “Wars and the preparation for wars have huge costs and have major environmental impacts besides eating up the money that should be spent here.”
• “A GreenUS means that our taxes will be money be used for us citizens. We can improve our country so much by spending money here rather than trying to bend countries to our will. We can improve daily life by lowering stress about money fears and health. We can stop inflation and decrease the huge wealth discrepancy.”
• “Although the Green Party isn’t a peace organization per se, its platform emphasizes peace. The Green Party’s Platform combines my domestic and international platform.”
• “I want: A moratorium of data centers, free public transit, open borders, improved incarceration, and a basic return to pre-2025 status quo. I’d like rank choice voting and proportional representation, and more people joining the Green Party.”
• “Ralph Nader and Jill Stein are models she tries to emulate.”

To learn more about Blais’ campaign, visit: dianneforcongress.org

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Early voting in Virginia began Friday, September 18th and voters can apply for mail-in ballots, through Friday, October 23rd.

Click here to explore our Quick Guide to Voting as a Mason Student >

Register/verify and find your assigned polling location using Virgnia’s official Citizen’s Portal: vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

Your voice matters! Make a plan to vote and help shape your future.

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James Walkinshaw Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Congressman_Walkinshaw_Official_Portrait.jpg, cropped. Public domain.

Arthur Perves Photo Credit: Arthur Purves for Congress Facebook, cropped.

Dianne Blais Photo Credit: Dianne for Congress Facebook, cropped.

If You Live On Campus in Fairfax, You Can Vote @ Merten Hall!

By: Erica Munisar, Mason Votes Contributor

Mason students living on the Fairfax campus, including Masonvale and Presidents Park, can register to vote on campus at Merten Hall on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd from 6am to 7pm (anyone still in line at 7pm will be allowed to vote).

The deadline to register to vote or verify an existing registration in Virginia is Friday, October 23rd. Click here to register/verify online via the Dept. of Elections’ Citizen Portal >

If you miss the registration deadline, you can register through Election Day using same-day registration and vote using a provisional ballot. Click here to learn more about same-day registration and provisional ballots >

Students living off-campus are encouraged to look up their assigned polling location early, as apartments only a few miles away from campus have different voting locations and you must update your address each time you move. Click here to find your assigned polling place >

To help simplify things, here is a list of popular off-campus housing areas with their assigned polling locations (precinct name in parentheses):

• Fairfax Campus Residence Halls, Masonvale, and Presidents Park (134 UNIVERSITY):
  Merten Hall, 4441 George Mason Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22030
• The Flats On University, Layton Hall Apartments, and The Flats at Boulevard VI (PRECINCT 2 – FAIRFAX CITY):
  Stacy C. Sherwood Center, 3740 Blenheim Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Mason Townhouses, Avalon Bay Communities, Eaves Apartments, and West Wood Oaks (PRECINCT 1 – FAIRFAX CITY):
  Fairfax Presbyterian Church, 10723 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Robinson Apartments (121 VILLA):
  Fairfax Villa Elementary School, 10900 Santa Clara Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030
• The Main on University (121 VILLA):
  Fairfax Villa Elementary School, 10900 Santa Clara Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Fairfax Square Apartments (PRECINCT 3 – FAIRFAX CITY):
  Daniels Run Elementary School, 3705 Blenheim Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Scout on the Circle (PRECINCT 5 – FAIRFAX CITY):
  Fairfax High School, 3501 Lion Run, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Fairfax Circle Villa Apartments (709 MOSBY #1):
  Mosaic Elementary School, 9819 Five Oaks Rd, Fairfax, VA 22031
• Pinewood Plaza Apartments (711 PRICE):
  Mantua Elementary School, 9107 Horner Ct, Fairfax, VA 22031

Non-Virginia Voters: Click here to find your local polling place by selecting your home state >

Virginia Voters: Click here to find your assigned polling place in VA >

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You can vote early Sept. 18-Oct. 31!

Click here to learn more about Fairfax County in-person early voting >

Click here to learn more about Fairfax City early and absentee voting >

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Still have questions?

Refer to our “Quick Guide to Voting as a Mason Student” to learn more about registration, early voting, voting as a veteran, accessible voting, and more: http://masonvotes.gmu.edu/a-quick-guide-to-voting-as-a-mason-student/

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Photos by: Mitchell Richtmyre

Are YOU Registered to VOTE?

By: Breeze Lawless, Mason Votes Contributor

In honor of National Voter Registration Day and Disability Voting Rights Week, student organizations and community volunteers worked together to hold a voter registration drive outside the Johnson Center on Tuesday, September 15th that featured on-site registration opportunities and resources to educate student voters about the upcoming midterm elections.

The event was organized by Mason Votes and the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning (CECiL) with participation from Mason Voting Ambassadors, NAACP GMU chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Fairfax chapter of the League of Women Voters, and Rev Up Virginia, an organization focusing on empowering disabled voters.

“The main purpose of voter registration drives is to help all students who are eligible to vote register and exercise their right to participate in the democratic process,” said freshman Mason Voting Ambassador Elizabeth Navarro. “We primarily aim to guide students through the registration process, answer their questions and make sure they have the information and resources they need to participate.”

Don’t stress if you missed this week’s event, as there are plenty of upcoming events and opportunities to register to vote on campus before the October 23rd deadline.

Register to vote or verify your existing registration online anytime by utilizing the Virginia Dept. of Elections’ Citizen Portal: vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

Follow @mason_votes on Instagram to learn more about what’s happening on campus!

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Photos by: Breeze Lawless

VA Senate Candidates Offer Competing Visions for the Commonwealth

By: Tiffany Boggs, Mason Votes Contributor

With the 2026 midterm elections less than 50 days away, Virginians prepare to head to the polls to decide who will represent the Commonwealth in the United States Senate.

Nicknamed “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” the U.S. Senate plays an essential Constitutional role in creating legislation that impacts daily life for all Americans. As outlined in Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, each state gets two Senators, giving equal representation to every state regardless of size.

Virginians face a choice this November between incumbent Senator Mark Warner (D) and retired Army Major General Bert Mizusawa (R). Both candidates come from different backgrounds and offer competing visions to serve the Commonwealth in the U.S. Senate for the next six years.

Mark Warner’s Leadership Vision

Incumbent Senator Mark Warner (D) is a former governor seeking reelection for a fourth term in the U.S. Senate in 2026. Key issues in his campaign are public safety, healthcare affordability, the economy, national security, and artificial intelligence policy.

• Crime and Public Safety: “Warner supports a comprehensive approach to crime that focuses on preventing violence, holding offenders accountable, and ensuring law enforcement has the tools and resources they need to do their jobs while upholding civil rights and the rule of law.”
• Economy: “Warner is focused on lowering costs for families, growing wages, and creating an economy that rewards work, encourages innovation, and expands opportunity across every corner of Virginia.”
• Health Care: “Warner believes that there’s still a long way to go to improve our health care system, and that we need to move towards a universal coverage model so that we can stop arguing about who deserves coverage, and focus on lowering costs for all.”
• National Security: “Warner works to ensure that the U.S. is prepared for the evolving threats of the 21st century, tackling novel challenges around AI, technology competition, access to rare earth minerals, and more.”
• Technology: “Warner believes technology competition is the defining issue of the 21st century, and that America needs to be the global leader on emerging technologies to promote national security and remain economically competitive.”
• Taxes: “Warner believes our tax code should be fair and transparent, helping working families keep more of what they earn while ensuring the wealthiest Americans and corporations are paying their fair share.”

To learn more about Warner’s campaign and initiatives, visit: warner.senate.gov

Bert Mizusawa’s Leadership Vision

Bert Mizusawa (R) is a retired major general of the United States Army seeking his first term in the U.S. Senate in 2026. Key issues in his campaign are fiscal responsibility, lowering healthcare costs, defending the military, and nuclear energy.

• Fiscal Responsibility: “I will focus on balancing the budget to protect future generations from financial ruin.”
• Affordability: “I will lower the tax on selling your home, lower the tax burden on Virginia families, and help bring down the cost of living.”
• Lowering Health Care Costs: “I will lower healthcare costs for Virginians. That starts with holding insurance companies accountable and funding for rural hospitals.”
• Defending the Military: “As a four-time combat veteran with 41 years in uniform, I understand the difficult issues facing veterans, their families and survivors. I will protect veterans’ benefits, expand access to quality healthcare, and ensure veterans aren’t stuck waiting on Washington for the care they earned.”
• Energy: “Nuclear power is clean, cheap, reliable and safe. Today’s nuclear technology is, as they say, not your father’s technology. I support bringing new nuclear power on-line to slash the ever-increasing energy costs for American households.”
• Stopping Corruption: “For too long, members of Congress have gotten rich while the people they represent fall further behind. As Senator, I will ban congressional stock trading, so politicians put their constituents first, not themselves.”

To learn more about Mizusawa’s campaign and initiatives, visit: bertforsenate.com

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Early voting in Virginia begins Friday, September 18th and voters can apply for mail-in ballots, through Friday, October 23rd.

Click here to explore our Quick Guide to Voting as a Mason Student >

Register/verify and find your assigned polling location using Virgnia’s official Citizen’s Portal: vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

Your voice matters! Make a plan to vote and help shape your future.

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Mark Warner Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mark_Warner_2025.jpg, cropped. Public domain.

Bert Mizusawa Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mizusawa.jpg?, cropped. Public domain.

25 Years Later, 9/11 Brings the Mason Community Together in Service

By: Tiffany Boggs, Mason Votes Contributor

On September 11, 2001, America changed forever. Twenty‑five years ago, the United States endured one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in our history, cutting short thousands of innocent lives. Many students and young Americans of today were not born when the attacks took place, while older adults still remember every detail like it was yesterday. Even a quarter century after the events of that fateful Tuesday, the aftermath of the tragedy continues to ripple through our society in ways both good and bad.

Check out today’s post by Fourth Estate to see how Mason’s official student newspaper covered the events of 9/11 just a few days after the attack.

But whether you remember watching 9/11 unfold in real time or learned about it in history class, the anniversaries of September 11th offer us all an opportunity to come together as a community to honor those we lost and reflect on how it changed us.

Over the years, Mason has observed 9/11 by holding candlelight vigils and asking students to share memories in their own words, but the 9/11 Day of Service has endured as a positive tradition when the Mason Nation can remember and give back at the same time.

Mason Votes attended the 14th Annual 9/11 Day of Service on Thursday, September 10, 2026 and spoke with attendees to get their thoughts on the 25th anniversary.

What does the Mason community remember after 25 years?

Many faculty were young adults and teenagers on 9/11; they shared their personal experiences and how it felt 25 years ago.

“It’s a day I’ll never forget,” said Christine Landoll, Professor of Practice and Director of Business Engagement at the Costello College of Business. Landoll worked in New York City’s Midtown in 2001 and recalled the chaos of everyone trying to get home while evacuating the city amidst the dust and smoke that engulfed lower Manhattan. She also remembered the fear she felt trying to get in touch with her mother who was working in the White House while the target of Flight 93 (that later crashed in Pennsylvania) was still unknown. “It was just a humbling, sad, impactful day,” she said.

“I was incredibly frightened that day,” said Joshua Braaten, Assistant Director of Student Success Coaching. Braaten was in middle school in 2001. “I remember being in Northern Virginia, there were a lot of families that were picking up my peers from school, so it was rather chaotic,” he said. He recalled riding the bus home seeing a fighter jet flying across the sky heading towards Washington, D.C. “I remember turning on the TV when I got home and seeing a lot of hurt, and negativity, and death in New York and Arlington,” Braaten said.

Some faculty members who vividly remember that day carry deep memories that they will never forget; reflecting on 9/11 brought strong emotions to the surface.

University Life Project Manager Susan Pilley was a junior in high school on 9/11. “My husband is an army veteran. He actually did three deployments; went to Iraq, went into Afghanistan,” she said with a slight redness in her eyes and cracking in her voice. “It’s very personal to me for all the things he did for service and all the people that we’ve lost.”

“I strongly believe that 9/11 should be a day of service and bring everyone out together to just remember and take that moment of silence. And really think about how we can help others and serve others at our own capacity,” Pilley said.

The 25th anniversary of 9/11 offers us all an opportunity to honor those we lost, celebrate the heroism of the first responders, and reflect on how traumatic events of the past are still shaping our future. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, young or old, liberal or conservative, the events of 9/11 still have the power to unite us as Americans with a shared purpose. In the words of poet Maya Angelou:

“We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”

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Slider photos courtesy of: 911day.gmu.edu

Insights from Professor Jennifer Victor Shed Light on the Shifting Landscape of Democracy at Mason

By: Saahiti Kiran Chamala, Mason Votes Managing Editor

On Tuesday, November 11th, Mason Votes sat down with Professor Jennifer Nicoll Victor, associate professor of political science in the Schar School, to explore the implications of Virginia’s recent gubernatorial election for Mason students. Drawing from her research in American political institutions and her hands-on work supporting student voting initiatives, Professor Victor offered insight into how elections intersect with the practical realities of university life.

Democracy Lab’s Election Night Watch Party

By: Rithvik Hari, Mason Votes Contributor

As polls closed on Tuesday, November 4th, the Schar School of Policy and Government’s First-Year and Upper Level Democracy Lab students gathered for a watch party to see the outcomes of each of the elections across the country. With pizza and drinks provided, the students watched coverage of the elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City from various news outlets.

Early into the evening, former congresswomen and Democratic nominee for governor, Abigail Spanberger, was declared the winner of the Virginia gubernatorial race, defeating current Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl-Sears. Shortly after, Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate Ghazala Hashmi defeated Republican John Reid. Following that, in a close race, Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones was declared the winner over incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares.

On November 5th, it was announced that Democrats had won 64 seats in the House of Delegates while the Republicans won 36. With this announcement, Democrats had gained control over the governor’s mansion, House of Delegates, and retained control of the Virginia Senate.

“My reaction to the selection is that the Democrats performed much better than I thought they would. I did not think that they would win by such a large margin. I definitely did not think that Jay Jones would win the attorney general race and I was really shocked when I saw the results. I think it’s a big referendum on the entire country as a whole and makes the midterm elections next year very interesting,” said Montgomery Vanik, a first-year Democracy Lab student, providing a different perspective on the outcome of the election.

Alternatively, first-year student Aaron Yoo said, “I’m pleasantly surprised at the results, by that, I mean of Jones. We knew Spanberger and Hashmi would [win], that much was obvious from the selection of the Republican candidate to the polls the entire way through. Jones, however, after his scandal was a moment of worry, for two reasons. The first being that an elected official, and a candidate for attorney general, could fathomably say those words. The second, however, was that, despite those words, he was still a preferential candidate to Miyares.”

As results continued to come in, the watch party offered students an opportunity to discuss the unfolding political shifts in real time and compare their expectations with the final outcomes. For many in attendance, the evening served as a chance to engage with peers about the implications of the night’s results for Virginia and the country.

Mason Votes provided coverage of the election results as polls closed across the country.

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Photo Courtesy of: Jennifer Victor

On-Campus Voters Make Their Voices Heard in Off-Year Election

Photos/Video by: Joylin Ting, Mason Votes Contributor

The Mason community turned out to Merten Hall on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 to cast their ballots for Virginia’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and more during an off-year election.

Merten Hall is the home of Fairfax’s University Precinct, the local polling place for residential students and nearby residents.

According to the unofficial election results published by Fairfax County, 573 total votes were cast at the University Precinct, bringing overall voter turnout to 26.25%. In-person voting on Election Day accounted for 510 of those ballots in addition to 47 early votes and 16 mail-in votes.

2025 Election Day @ Mason Photo Gallery:

Click on any image below to enlarge!