US Supreme Court blocks Trump mail-in ballot restrictions for 2026 midterms
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The US Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump's plan to restrict mail-in voting before November's midterm elections. The justices upheld a federal judge's order temporarily blocking new USPS requirements for postal ballots. Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the ruling but indicated he might side with the administration after the elections.
Key Facts
- The Supreme Court upheld a federal judge's order that temporarily blocked the USPS from moving forward with new requirements for postal ballots.
- Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that applying the rule in the 2026 elections would be arbitrary and capricious.
- Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, calling the challenge to Trump's order a 'Hail Mary pass'.
- President Trump signed an executive order in March directing the USPS to deliver ballots only to voters on lists of citizens.
The Ruling
The Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump's plan to restrict voting by mail before November's midterm elections. The justices upheld a federal judge's order that had temporarily blocked the US Postal Service from moving forward with new requirements for postal ballots. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative, agreed with Monday's ruling but indicated he might rule in favour of the Trump administration after the coming elections. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the ruling.
Background and Arguments
Trump, who argued the rules would help combat electoral fraud, signed an executive order in March directing the USPS to deliver ballots only to voters on lists of citizens. Some states and critics had argued that the Trump administration's USPS rules stepped on states' rights to run elections. Justice Kavanaugh wrote in the opinion that there was at least a fair prospect that the final rule falls within the Postal Service's statutory authority. But he argued that applying the rule in the 2026 elections would be arbitrary and capricious.
1 source
Time · lag behind first