时代周刊:终审法院(4)（在线收听）

Democrats and voting-rights activists, along with dissenting judges and Justices, argue that courts should make decisions that encourage enfranchisement, especially during a global pandemic. Chief Justice John Roberts has staked out the middle ground, arguing that state courts can interpret state laws but that federal courts should stay above the fray.

民主党人、投票权活动家以及持不同意见的法官们认为法院应该做出鼓励自由的决定，尤其是在全球大流行期间。首席大法官罗伯茨保持中立，他认为州法院可以解释州法律，但联邦法院应当置身事外。

Amid all the solomonic parsing, good news may yet await Americans who are eager to see a quick, clean resolution to the presidential race. For one, the incoming litigation from the Trump and Biden campaigns may be moot if the final vote tallies aren't razor thin. Even if a court rules on a case that results in thousands of ballots being invalidated, it may not change the final result. "We still have votes to count," says Edward B. Foley, an electionlaw expert at Ohio State University. "It's still possible the margins of victory in all the battleground states are decisive enough that it's not going to be Bush v. Gore–type litigation." It's also possible important cases may be resolved quickly at the local level. That would prevent lengthy, high-profile fights at the Supreme Court that could tarnish the credibility of the election's outcome.

在所罗门式的分析中，对于那些渴望看到总统竞选迅速、清晰的解决方案的美国人来说，好消息可能还在等着他们。首先，如果最终的票数不够，来自特朗普和拜登竞选团队的诉讼可能就没有意义了。即使法院裁决一个导致数千张选票无效的案件，也不会改变最终的结果。俄亥俄州立大学的选举法专家说：“我们仍有选票需要计算。所有摇摆州的获胜优势仍可能是决定性的，这不会成为像布什诉戈尔那样的诉讼。”重要的案件也有可能在地方一级迅速得到解决。这将避免最高法院旷日持久、高调的争斗，否则可能会损害选举结果的可信度。

Even if the fight does go up to the Supreme Court, there's a clear end in sight. Under U.S. law, state electors are presumably valid if chosen by Dec. 8, and electors meet to cast their votes on Dec. 14. On Jan. 6, the newly sworn-in Congress counts the results and the Vice President pronounces them official. Which means even this unusually partisan and unruly moment in American democracy could help underscore one still reliable truth: all the bluster and litigiousness in the world can't displace the rule of law.

即使这场斗争真的到了最高法院，结局也清晰可见。根据美国法律，在12月8日之前选出的州选举人应该是有效的，选举人在12月14日开会投票。1月6日，新宣誓就职的国会清点结果，副总统正式宣布结果。这意味着即便是美国民主中这种党派之争和不受控制的时刻也有助于强调一个仍旧可靠的事实：世界上不管什么咆哮和诉讼都不能取代法治。