US Supreme Court rejects Trump administration mail-in voting rules before midterms
An unsigned order leaves existing state mail-in voting procedures in place for the November 2026 elections, while the proposed Postal Service rules could return after the vote.
The US Supreme Court has rejected the Trump administration’s request to impose new Postal Service requirements on state mail-in ballots before the November 2026 midterm elections.
In an unsigned order, the court’s majority said the government was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its challenge. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. Justice Brett Kavanaugh said state and local officials did not have enough time to implement the changes before the election, while leaving open whether the rules could be used in future elections.
The proposed requirements followed a March executive order from President Donald Trump directing the US Postal Service to set standards for mail-in ballot envelopes, including official election mail logos and unique bar codes. States would also have been required to upload eligible voters’ names and addresses to a portal. Federal judges had already blocked the rules for the November election.
ProPublica reported that election officials and others raised concerns about the proposed system’s timing and readiness. A federal employee described it as untested and error-prone, while the Postal Service said its standards for quality, security and system integrity had not been compromised. The administration characterised the requirements as modest envelope-design and addressee-information rules.
Existing state procedures remain in effect, but mail-in voting eligibility, deadlines and return options vary. Voters should check their state’s requirements, complete and sign ballots carefully, return them before the relevant deadline, and use available tracking or drop-off options. The Supreme Court has not decided whether the Postal Service rules may proceed after the November election.
