The Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump’s attempt to impose new restrictions on mail-in voting for the upcoming midterm elections. The decision, announced on Monday, ensures that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will continue delivering ballots as usual.
Voting by mail is already underway in states such as Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Other states, including Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, will soon start as well. These Western states primarily or fully use mail ballots for elections.
The now-blocked plan from the USPS, initiated by an executive order from Trump, would have required states to provide lists of voters’ names and addresses. Additionally, specific barcodes would need to be present on ballot envelopes to be delivered by USPS. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston issued a preliminary injunction preventing USPS from implementing these requirements, ruling them likely illegal since the Postal Service lacks authority over mail-in voting. A second judge followed suit with another injunction on Sunday.
A majority of the Supreme Court has decided to uphold this injunction, stating the Trump administration is unlikely to succeed in its challenge. Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a concurring opinion, acknowledging some statutory authority for USPS but arguing that implementing the rule by 2026 would be arbitrary and capricious due to insufficient time for state and local officials to enact it.
Several Republican state election officials, including those from Utah, voiced concerns in a Supreme Court brief. They warned that the USPS plan could lead to mistakes, delays, and confusion for voters and election officials. Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented and wanted the judge’s ruling from Boston paused.
President Trump claimed his proposed USPS rule changes aimed to prevent illegal voting by non-U.S. citizens. Many studies indicate such occurrences are rare. In court, the administration has provided no evidence of mail-voting fraud.
Trump has expressed strong opposition to mail-in voting, which was used by about one-third of voters in recent federal elections. In 2024, more Democrats (37%) than Republicans (24%) reported voting by mail, according to the MIT Election Data and Science Lab. Despite this stance, Trump himself voted by mail in Florida recently.
Editor’s note: USPS is a financial supporter of NPR.
Edited by Benjamin Swasey