High Court Denies Trump’s Push to Curb Mail Voting Before Midterms

The nation’s highest court has denied the administration’s attempt to tighten mail-in voting regulations ahead of critical midterm elections.

Published On 15 Sep 202615 Sep 2026

The United States Supreme Court has denied President Donald Trump’s attempt to authorize the United States Postal Service to enforce a regulation aimed at mail-in ballots.

On Monday, the court, which holds a conservative majority, declined to overturn an injunction issued by US District Judge Indira Talwani that blocked the policy. This decision deals a significant setback to Trump’s efforts to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections.

The postal agency implemented the rule following Trump’s March executive order, which sought to tighten regulations surrounding mail-in voting. The measure required states to submit recipient lists to the Postal Service and utilize ballot mail envelopes that had been previously approved by the agency.

Under the new standards, the Postal Service was permitted to reject ballots that failed to comply with the regulations or lacked association with registered voters on the provided lists.

Judge Talwani imposed an injunction blocking the rule, arguing that it likely violated the US Constitution and would be unworkable given the approaching midterm elections.

Shortly thereafter, the Trump administration filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court, urging the justices to permit an “important federal policy to protect the mails from being used to commit voter fraud.”

In late August, the Supreme Court had temporarily allowed Trump to proceed with his executive order on procedural grounds, though it did not rule on the legality of the plan itself.

In its latest decision, the court stated in an unsigned order that the administration was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” of its challenge. Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Clarence Thomas dissented; Alito wrote that some plaintiffs lacked standing while the others were pursuing a claim the court had recently described as a “Hail Mary pass.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by Trump, voted with the majority against the administration, although he noted he could support the policy at a subsequent stage.

Critics warn that the restrictions could disrupt the delivery of thousands of ballots and disenfranchise voters who rely on mail-in voting. In several predominantly Democratic-leaning states, voters cast their ballots largely by mail. Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin have already begun distributing ballots ahead of the midterm elections.

Trump has long cast doubt on the security of mail-in voting, repeating debunked claims of widespread election fraud, despite having voted by mail himself, including during the 2024 election.

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