Origins of Trump mail-in voting restriction plan
The gist
ProPublica revealed the White House's behind-the-scenes role in Trump's mail-in ballot restriction plan.
The Supreme Court blocked the changes for now, leaving states to use long-standing procedures.
How it unfolded
- 2026Trump signed an executive order restricting mail ballots, and USPS Postmaster General David Steiner moved quickly to finalize a rule implementing the measure, arguing he had little choice.
- This summer (2026)Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., accused Steiner of being a Trump "pawn" during a congressional hearing.
- September (2026)The Supreme Court stopped the Trump administration from implementing mail-in ballot changes for now, allowing states to continue distributing ballots using long-standing procedures. The decision prevents the administration from requiring states to use a standardized envelope design and submit lists of eligible voters through an online portal, with USPS then allowed to refuse delivery of mail-in ballots from any state that failed to comply.