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NewsKPBS Public MediaSeptember 14, 2026San Diego County

The Supreme Court rejects Trump's mail voting restrictions for this year's midterms

Photo: KPBS Public Media

The Supreme Court rejected efforts by the Trump administration to enact new mail-in voting restrictions for the upcoming midterm elections, keeping lower court injunctions in place. Under the blocked plan, states would have been required to provide voter lists and specific barcodes on ballot envelopes for delivery by the U.S. Postal Service. Voting by mail is already underway in several states.

Voting RightsSupreme CourtElectionsU.s. Postal ServiceMail in Voting
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Why It Matters

The decision ensures that mail-in voting rules for the 2026 midterms will proceed without new federal barcode or voter-list requirements from the U.S. Postal Service, affecting voters and election officials nationwide.

Key Facts

  • The Supreme Court rejected President Trump's efforts to enact new mail-in voting restrictions for the midterm election.
  • The ruling keeps in place preliminary injunctions issued by two federal judges against the U.S. Postal Service.
  • The blocked USPS plan would have required states to turn over lists of voters' names and addresses and include specific barcodes on ballot envelopes.
  • Justice Brett Kavanaugh stated in a concurring opinion that applying the rule for the 2026 elections would be arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act due to insufficient time for officials to implement it.
  • Republican state election officials, including from Utah, warned the Supreme Court that the plan would lead to mistakes, delays, and confusion.
  • Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the order.
  • Mail-in voting is already underway in states including Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, and is used primarily or fully in Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

Who's Mentioned

locationFlorida“State where Trump voted by mail.”OrganizationU.S. Postal Service“Mailing agency tasked with delivering election ballots.”locationHawaii“State where elections are held primarily or fully with mail ballots.”locationOregon“State where elections are held primarily or fully with mail ballots.”locationWisconsin“State where voting by mail has already begun.”PersonSamuel Alito“Conservative Supreme Court Justice who dissented from the order.”locationWashington“State where elections are held primarily or fully with mail ballots.”locationNorth Carolina“State where voting by mail has already begun.”PersonTrump“President who issued an executive order regarding USPS mail-in voting rules.”PersonClarence Thomas“Conservative Supreme Court Justice who dissented from the order.”locationAlabama“State where voting by mail has already begun.”locationUtah“Mostly vote-by-mail state whose election officials signed a Supreme Court brief.”OrganizationNPR“Publisher of the news article; notes USPS is a financial supporter.”PersonBrett Kavanaugh“Conservative Supreme Court Justice who wrote a concurring opinion.”OrganizationMIT Election Data and Science Lab“Conducted a national survey on voter methods in federal elections.”