On Monday, the Supreme Court turned down the Trump administration’s attempt to implement fresh U.S. Postal Service regulations for mail-in ballots before the midterms. This outcome maintains a lower court’s nationwide injunction, as noted by Fox News. The justices refused the motion to pause the order preventing the new restrictions from going into effect.
According to coverage, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voted against the short order. Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that the limitations must stay inactive during the midterm elections. The New York Post reports he indicated he might back the Trump administration’s stance later. The court released an unsigned 7-2 order blocking the rules.
“The Government is unlikely to succeed on the merits of its challenge to the District Court’s preliminary injunction,” the ruling said, per ABC News. The court also stated that “the equitable factors applicable for obtaining emergency relief from this court do not favor a stay,” according to Daily Signal. This action prevents states from altering their current voting procedures at this time.
Today, the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration’s attack on mail-in voting.
This victory protects one of our most fundamental rights – the right to make your voice heard at the ballot box.
Now, I encourage all eligible Americans to get out and vote — and vote early.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) September 15, 2026
Under the Trump administration proposal, states would need to use a consistent envelope design and upload lists of qualified voters to an online portal, per reports. The Postal Service could reject ballots if states did not meet these new requirements. A whistleblower document alleged the postal system mandates could result in millions of mail ballots failing to reach voters.
Reports highlighted that the portal was built incorrectly, meaning a single barcode error could discard an entire batch of ballots. While the new system remained inactive, Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin began mailing ballots to voters during the previous week. Nearly one-third of the country votes by mail, so these rules would have significantly altered the process.
After losing in the district and appellate courts, the Trump Administration has now lost at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Today’s decision is a victory for our democracy and a powerful affirmation of the rule of law.
We will remain vigilant in safeguarding our elections, and we urge… pic.twitter.com/yU1dujii3p
— Rob Bonta (@AGRobBonta) September 15, 2026
Before the crucial November races for congressional control, the administration asked the court to clear obstacles to these restrictions. ABC News reports they claimed the regulations would only place “modest” ballot design and review obligations on states. Daily Wire states that election officials cautioned that enacting these measures weeks before the midterms might delay or stop ballot delivery.
Trump signed an executive order in March titled “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” per Daily Signal. This order instructs the Department of Homeland Security to generate lists of U.S. citizens for every state. It further orders the U.S. attorney general to focus on prosecuting state and local officials who distribute federal ballots to ineligible voters.
Suits were filed by the attorneys general of 23 states and the District of Columbia to halt the government’s execution of the order. They contended the executive order clashes with the Constitution clause granting states the power to set voter eligibility. Daily Signal adds that nonprofit organizations headed by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts also participated in the lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued an injunction preventing the government from enforcing the rules.
The Supreme Court refused on Monday to restore President Trump’s effort to utilize the post office for monitoring mailed ballots in this year’s election. Per the Washington Times, this represents a significant setback to his aspirations of managing voting practices. The legal battle over federal election authority remains unresolved as the litigation continues. States may keep mailing ballots using their existing methods while the courts resolve the remaining issues.
