Trump asks Supreme Court on mail voting
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow mail voting restrictions. The fight could affect millions of voters in November's midterms.
Background
The Trump administration has been trying to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections. In March, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to take steps on mail-in voting, including requiring the U.S. Postal Service to deliver ballots only to states that share voter data and to review ballot envelopes. A federal judge in Boston blocked the rule, and the administration has repeatedly appealed to the Supreme Court to allow it to take effect.
How it unfolded
- Mar 2026President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to take steps on mail-in voting, including USPS restrictions.
- Jul 27, 2026After a federal judge in Boston blocked the rule, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene for the first time.
- Late Aug 2026The Supreme Court ruled the challenge was premature because USPS had not yet published final regulations.
- Sep 3, 2026The Trump administration filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court to allow the rule, after USPS published final regulations and a judge again blocked it.
- Sep 6, 2026The administration renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal judge extended the block, marking the third time it has asked the high court to intervene.
Who’s saying what
- Administration
- The Postal Service's rule imposes only modest envelope-design and addressee-information requirements to prevent voter fraud.
- Challengers
- The president has no authority to set election rules, which the Constitution gives to states and Congress.
- Judge
- Judge Indira Talwani blocked the rule twice, calling it 'unconstitutional'.
Still unverified
The administration's claims of widespread voter fraud via mail ballots are not supported by evidence; studies show it is incredibly rare.