US Supreme Court Denies Trump's Request to Tighten Mail-In Voting Rules

The US Supreme Court has denied President Donald Trump’s request to allow the US Postal Service to enforce a rule targeting mail-in ballots. On September 12, 2026, the conservative-majority court declined to lift an order by US District Judge Indira Talwani that blocked the measure, which aimed to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections. The Postal Service adopted the rule following an executive order signed by Trump in March, which sought to tighten mail-in voting regulations. This measure required states to provide the Postal Service with a list of recipients and to use ballot mail envelopes that had been previously approved by the agency. The Postal Service would have been permitted to deny ballots that did not meet the new standards or were not linked to registered voters on the provided lists. Judge Talwani issued an injunction against the rule, stating that it likely violated the US Constitution and would be impractical to implement given the upcoming midterms. Following this, the Trump administration filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court, arguing for the necessity of the policy to prevent voter fraud. In late August, the Supreme Court had temporarily allowed Trump to proceed with his executive order on procedural grounds but did not address its legality. In the recent decision, the court issued an unsigned order stating that the administration was 'unlikely to succeed on the merits' of its challenge. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, with Alito commenting that some plaintiffs lacked standing while others were pursuing a claim the court had recently described as a 'Hail Mary pass.' Justice Brett Kavanaugh, appointed by Trump, voted with the majority against the administration but indicated he might support the policy in the future. Critics have expressed concerns that the restrictions could hinder the delivery of numerous ballots and disenfranchise voters who depend on mail-in voting. In several states, particularly those leaning Democratic, mail-in voting is prevalent. States such as Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin have already started sending out ballots for the midterm elections. Trump has consistently questioned the security of mail-in voting, reiterating unfounded claims of widespread election fraud, despite having voted by mail himself, including in the 2024 election.