Trump administration renews Supreme Court push on mail ballot curbs

Washington,UPDATED: Sep 6, 2026 20:30 IST

The Trump administration on Sunday renewed its appeal to the US Supreme Court after a federal judge blocked new restrictions on mail ballots ahead of the midterm elections. The move came after US District Court Judge Indira Talwani extended an order stopping the Postal Service from enforcing President Donald Trump’s executive order for the November polls.

The dispute is unfolding as states have started sending out mail ballots, leaving the administration with little time to make major changes to the rules. The administration has now approached the top court for the third time, seeking urgent intervention as voting preparations continue.

In its filing, the administration said the injunction was already affecting the election timetable. “Ballots have already begun to be mailed in North Carolina, and more States will begin the mailing process as the injunction remains in place - including Alabama on September 9 and at least five States the week of September 13,” Solicitor General John Sauer said. He added, “Once those ballot envelopes enter the mailstream, there is no retrieving them. And while the injunction allows the Postal Service and the States to continue taking steps to ensure that their envelopes satisfy the Rule’s requirements ... each day the injunction is in place risks sowing confusion and chaos because the injunction makes those preparatory steps voluntary, rather than mandatory.”

The Supreme Court has previously allowed the plan to move forward, but has not ruled on whether it is legal. The case could have major implications for this year’s elections, with control of Congress at stake. Nearly one-third of voters in the US cast mail ballots. Democratic states and voting rights groups have argued that the changes are unconstitutional, while election officials have said there is not enough time to revise their systems to meet the new Postal Service directives. The Trump administration, however, has described the restrictions as common-sense changes that fall within its authority to regulate the mail.

Sauer told the court, “Simply put, the best way to address respondents’ fears about inability to comply with the Rule is to grant an immediate administrative stay of the order, followed by a full stay pending further review.” He added, “That will remove the improper cloud of uncertainty that the district court has cast over the Rule, making clear to all involved that compliance with the Rule is not optional and must start without further delay.” Trump has long sought to limit mail voting, even though he himself often uses that method to cast his own ballot. He has falsely blamed mail balloting for his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, spreading baseless claims of fraud, but has so far been unable to change the longstanding voting procedure.

In sum, the administration’s latest appeal has come at a critical stage in the election process, with ballots already being mailed and legal questions over the new restrictions still unresolved.

With PTI Inputs

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