Supreme Court Blocks Trump’s Mail-In Voting Restrictions

The Supreme Court has rejected an effort by President Trump to impose new restrictions on mail-in voting for the midterm elections. This decision means the U.S. Postal Service will continue delivering ballots without change. Voting by mail has already started in several states, including Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Other states, such as Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, which mainly utilize mail ballots, will soon follow.

Under the Trump proposal, the Postal Service would have required states to submit lists of voters and adhere to particular barcode standards on ballot envelopes. This plan was halted by a federal judge in Boston, who issued a preliminary injunction blocking the new requirements, declaring them likely unlawful. Another federal judge also issued an injunction against the plan.

The Supreme Court upheld these injunctions, determining the Trump administration’s challenges would likely fail. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in a concurring opinion, acknowledged that although the rule might align with the Postal Service’s authority, its application in the 2026 elections would violate the Administrative Procedure Act. This is because election officials lack time to implement it effectively.

Several Republican state election officials, including those from Utah—a state primarily using mail voting—supported the Supreme Court’s decision. They argued that implementing the plan would cause errors and confusion for voters and officials. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, favoring a pause on the Boston judge’s ruling.

President Trump argued the changes were meant to prevent illegal voting by non-citizens, despite studies indicating such fraud is rare. In legal proceedings, the administration provided no evidence of mail-voting fraud. Historically, more Democrats than Republicans have reported using mail-in voting methods. In 2024, the MIT Election Data and Science Lab survey found 37% of Democrats and 24% of Republicans voted by mail.

Despite his criticism of mail-in voting, Trump himself used this method to vote in Florida. Previously, he expressed intentions to eliminate mail-in ballots, claiming the process can’t ensure fair elections.

Editor’s note: The U.S. Postal Service is a financial supporter of NPR.