USPS mail-in ballot rules and legal challenges 2026
One page that accretes the verified record as the story develops. Every fact keeps its date and its sources.
Trump's 2028 mail-vote push hinges on legal question
Cato Institute legal fellow Stephen Richer said at least six justices seem to think the administration will lose on the merits.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Republicans got another bad decision from the Supreme Court and called it a big loss for Republicans and America.
Individual cases of election and mail-ballot fraud exist but do not show that widespread fraud is occurring across U.S. mail voting.
Trump's attacks on mail-in voting and midterm implications
The Brookings Institution found the average total mail voting fraud percentage across the 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 general elections to be 0.000043%.
Donald Trump issued a March executive order that aimed to restrict mail-in ballots.
The Supreme Court rejected Trump's plan to restrict mail-in ballots.
Kavanaugh throws Trump a lifeline on mail ballot rules after Supreme Court loss
Fox News reported that Brett Kavanaugh threw Trump 'a lifeline' on mail ballot rules despite a Supreme Court loss.
US Supreme Court rejects Trump's postal ballot plans
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said the decision means work to carry out a safe, secure, and accurate election can continue without upending election processes.
Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, a Republican, said the decision means Utahns can have confidence that the 2026 election will proceed as normal.
Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin began sending mail ballots to voters over the past week.
Guardian First Thing: States cleared for mail-in voting after Supreme Court ruling (roundup)
An anonymous whistleblower said DHS lawyers told officers investigating voter fraud they would not be held responsible for violating state laws around accessing voter registration information.
Matthew Rhys became the first actor to win multiple lead actor awards for performances in different shows in the same year at the 2026 Emmys.
The supreme court's decision allows states to continue sending out mail ballots under the same processes they have used for years.
“Donald Trump tried to illegally interfere with our elections and undermine vote-by-mail for millions of Americans and failed. We will keep fighting to protect the right to vote of every single citizen in this country.”
Court defeats Trump mail-in challenge
Wisconsin law requires mail-in ballots to be delivered by the close of polls on election day in order to count.
More than 20,000 votes were rejected in Washington state's August primary because they arrived late at an election office.
Twenty-nine percent of Americans voted by mail in the 2024 presidential election.
“If you’re going to be returning your ballot by mail, please do so at least two weeks before the election. And you also may want to contact your municipal clerk to find out if there are other opportunities for you to return your ballot in your community. You may have drop-boxes or you may be able to return your ballot in person to your clerk.”
Supreme Court rejects Trump push to restrict mail ballots; administration says it will comply
Blanche defended Trump's criticism of the court, saying the president should voice concerns about another branch of government in a democracy.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Supreme Court is bullied and cajoled by the Radical Left into making decisions that have set America back at least a hundred years.
The Supreme Court's decision left in place a lower-court order blocking a USPS rule that would have required states to provide voter-specific data and use agency-approved envelopes with barcodes.
Supreme Court rejects Trump administration's mail-in ballot restrictions for midterms
US District Judge Indira Talwani imposed an injunction blocking the rule.
Voting rights groups, joined by 23 states and the District of Columbia, sued the administration to stop the proposed rule.
The executive order required the post office to refrain from delivering ballots for mail-in voting to registered voters deemed ineligible when compared with Department of Homeland Security and other federal records.
Trump mail-in voting restrictions blocked by second judge
Plaintiffs in Boston and Washington, DC, refiled their lawsuits after the administration issued its rule.
Election officials say it would be impossible to implement the changes this close to a general election.
A second federal judge blocked the Trump administration from implementing a new US Postal Service rule tightening mail-in voting requirements.
Trump's attempted crackdown on mail-in voting
Approximately 29% of American voters cast their vote by mail in 2024.
Trump's efforts to restrict mail-in voting before November's US midterm elections face legal challenges.
Donald Trump has described voting by mail as a hoax.
Appeals court rejects Trump request to lift block on Postal Service mail ballot rule
The appellate panel wrote that implementing the new rule would likely result in the disenfranchisement of millions of voters.
The final rule issued by the Postal Service requires states and localities to meet design requirements for mail ballots, including unique barcodes.
The Supreme Court had not yet ruled on the administration's request for a stay of the injunction as of the article's publication.
U.S. appeals court rejects Trump's bid to impose mail-in voting restrictions before midterms
Donald Trump has frequently criticized mail-in voting despite using it himself.
The US supreme court blocked Trump's efforts to introduce new requirements around mail-in voting.
The Boston-based first US circuit court of appeals declined to put on hold an injunction issued by a lower court judge last week preventing the US Postal Service from tightening rules around postal voting.
US appeals court rejects Trump bid to implement new vote-by-mail rules
The rules would require states to redesign mail-in ballots to include unique scannable barcodes for federal tracking.
The USPS would retain the right to not transmit mail-in or absentee ballots that do not comply with the new standards or whose recipients do not appear on submitted voter lists.
The US Supreme Court is currently weighing a similar request.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to restrict mail-in voting before midterms
Judge Indira Talwani wrote that the executive order's implementation, with two months until election day, threatens disenfranchisement of millions of U.S. citizens who seek to vote by mail.
An analysis by the States United Democracy Center found that one in four registered Democrats and one in five registered Republicans voted by mail in the 2024 presidential election.
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson set a deadline of Wednesday for responses to the Trump administration's request.
Trump administration appeals to Supreme Court to allow mail ballot restrictions
The Supreme Court has allowed the plan to move forward but has not ruled on whether it is legal.
Nearly one-third of voters in the U.S. cast mail ballots.
This is the third time the administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the mail ballot restrictions dispute.
Washington state blocks new Trump mail voting rules
The new USPS rules would have required a new envelope with a barcode for mail-in ballots.
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said the midterm election in Washington will be safe, secure, and accessible.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani extended her initial preliminary injunction on Friday, temporarily pausing enforcement of the new rules.
Federal judge extends block on Trump order restricting mail-in voting and USPS mail ballot rules
California Attorney General Rob Bonta co-led the state coalition and said longer-term relief was secured to keep USPS changes blocked while the case moves forward.
Trump signed the executive order imposing restrictions on mail-in voting in March.
The Supreme Court previously overturned Talwani's initial hold on the order, finding the lawsuits were filed prematurely before USPS issued its rule on implementation.
North Carolina becomes first state to send out mail-in ballots for US midterms
The proposed rule is part of an executive order Trump signed in March directing agencies to compile citizen lists for use in screening mail ballots.
The supreme court's conservative majority sided with Trump in August but called the challenge premature.
North Carolina state statute requires county boards to begin sending absentee ballots 60 days before a general election.
Midterm mail ballots begin amid litigation uncertainty
Don Millis, a Republican, chairs the Wisconsin Election Commission.
By the middle of September, all states are required to send ballots to military and overseas voters.
A whistleblower told Congress this week that the Postal Service is rushing an untested product with its portal that is likely to be riddled with errors that could lead to millions of mail ballots being rejected.
Federal judge considers extending ban on USPS mail ballot changes
The USPS published its regulations just before the Supreme Court ruling came down.
The Supreme Court ruled late last month that Talwani's order was premature because the USPS had not yet published regulations governing how it would apply Trump's order.
Justice department lawyer Michael Velchik said the administration will likely go to the Supreme Court by the end of the week to seek permission to resume implementing the plan.
Vote-by-mail controversy in the US
About 30 percent of people who voted in the 2024 elections sent their ballots through the mail, according to the Election Assistance Commission.
Approximately 48 million US voters cast their ballots through the mail as of 2024.
In late August 2026, the Supreme Court granted an emergency request allowing the Trump administration to proceed with its mail-in ballot reforms.
GOP mail-in voting proposal could impact millions before midterms
Rep. Laurel Lee plans to introduce legislation mandating that absentee and mail-in ballots are received by relevant officials by the end of Election Day.
A separate Trump order making changes to the mail-in voting system is at the center of a legal battle between the White House and over 20 states.
Nearly a third of Americans vote by mail.
Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down South Carolina Mail-In Voting Restriction
A lower court initially dismissed the younger voters' argument before the case went to the Fourth Circuit on appeal.
Representatives of South Carolina stated they intend to appeal the ruling further.
The lawsuit originated in 2023 when a group of younger voters sued the South Carolina Elections Commission, claiming the mail-in voting rule violated the 26th Amendment.
“By granting voters aged sixty-five and older unconditional access to absentee-by-mail voting while conditioning that same option for younger voters on eligibility categories, documentation, and a rigid deadline, the state allocates voting opportunities unequally based solely on age,”
Federal Judge Continues Block on Trump Bid to Restrict Mail-In Voting
The Supreme Court dismissed an earlier ruling against the USPS rules on the grounds that the legal challenge was filed too early.
The new rules mandate that states submit approved voter lists and adhere to new ballot formatting prior to USPS delivering voting slips.
Attorneys general representing 24 states filed a lawsuit asserting that the president lacks constitutional authority to establish election rules.
“have neither time nor funds”
Trump administration appeals ruling blocking mail voting order
A federal judge in Boston blocked implementation of President Trump's mail voting executive order for the next two weeks.
Nearly one-third of Americans vote by mail.
The League of Women Voters sued to block Trump's executive order.
“I’m hoping that federal judges continue to hold the line on their constitutional authority and duty,”
Judge temporarily blocks new Postal Service rules for mail-in voting
The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that the states lacked standing to challenge Trump's executive order at that stage.
The USPS said it would not deliver ballots to any state not in compliance with the new changes.
Trump issued an executive order in March seeking to restrict mail-in voting.
Federal judge halts Trump executive order limiting mail voting in midterms
The Constitution grants states and, in some cases, Congress the power to make election rules.
A 3 September hearing is scheduled in the case.
The Supreme Court's conservative majority did not rule on the legality of Trump's executive order.
US Postal Service implements new mail ballot rules tied to Trump order
Two dozen states and the District of Columbia filed a fresh lawsuit on Wednesday to block the executive order restricting mail voting in this year's midterm elections.
The USPS said the new rule would be implemented immediately, applying to ballots for November's US midterm elections.
The post office requirements stem from an executive order issued by Trump earlier this year requiring the post office to refrain from delivering ballots for mail-in voting to registered voters deemed ineligible when compared to DHS and other federal records.
US Postal Service mail-in ballot restrictions in effect
A new court challenge was filed in a federal court in Massachusetts on Wednesday by 24 states.
The US Postal Service announced that new restrictions on handling mail-in ballots are now in effect.
The new procedures mean the Postal Service would compile lists of eligible voters using input from US states and only deliver ballots to individuals on those lists.
“The government subsequently received such relief from those injunctions, meaning the injunctions no longer preclude the implementation of the Rule for November 3, 2026 or any earlier federal election,”
Federal judge lifts final block on Trump mail-in voting order
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he is suing the Trump Administration to stop their unconstitutional attempt to change the rules and restrict mail-in voting.
The states argue that USPS skipped a review process for major nationwide changes to postal services or operations.
The Supreme Court stayed an earlier injunction against key parts of Trump's mail-voting executive order, finding the states' initial challenge was premature because USPS had not yet issued a final rule.
“Radical Democrats continue to oppose commonsense measures that protect the security of mail-in ballots and ensure only Americans are electing American leaders,”
Democratic states sue to block Trump order limiting mail voting in midterms
Democratic state officials filed a new lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service seeking to block President Trump's executive order limiting mail voting.
The Postal Service rule requires states to follow a uniform envelope style for mail ballots and to give the Postal Service a list of voters eligible to receive them.
About two dozen Democratically controlled states filed the new lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service.
Supreme Court allows Trump vote-by-mail limits
US District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts blocked the plan for the midterm elections in the plaintiff states and an appeals court upheld her decision.
Republican-led states backed the administration before the Supreme Court, arguing that states would have an opportunity to provide input on the final lists of eligible voters.
A 2025 Brookings Institution study found roughly four cases of fraud for every 10 million mail ballots cast.
US Postal Service Establishes New Procedures for Mail-In Ballots
The USPS stated it would refuse to deliver ballots to any state that is not in compliance with the new rules.
The new rule's changes will not take effect until a court lifts its current injunction.
Under the proposed change, states would be required to attach basic voter information to a unique barcode on every distributed mail-in ballot.
“Such enhanced visibility will help identify potential issues that would have otherwise gone undetected; at the very least, it will provide increased assurance that any potential issues are more capable of being effectively identified and investigated.”
US Postal Service mail-in ballot restrictions despite court ruling
A group of voting rights organizations filed a separate lawsuit challenging the rules.
Leaders of 23 states and the District of Columbia challenged the Trump administration's plans to impose the new mail-in voting rules.
Postmaster General David Steiner defended the plan in June, arguing the rules would ensure postal officials match ballots a state believes it is sending out to what actually gets sent out.
USPS issues mail-in ballot restrictions despite court order
Leaders from 23 states and the District of Columbia challenged the Trump administration's proposed rules on mail-in voting.
In March, Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Postal Service to implement new rules concerning mail-in ballots.
The United States Postal Service published a final draft of its proposed rules restricting the use of mail-in ballots under President Donald Trump.
“Where [Trump’s executive order] is presently causing confusion and threatening both increasing chaos and an erosion of trust in our democracy, the court finds that enfranchisement heavily outweighs the executive’s attempt to unconstitutionally insert itself into the domain of election regulation,”
USPS Enacts Stricter Mail-In Ballot Handling Rules Amid Court Scrutiny
The USPS stated that it received more than 200,000 responses during the public comment period for its proposed rule change.
The US Postal Service prepared to publish a final rule imposing new requirements on states to provide voter information to the federal government before the November midterm elections.
Two federal court injunctions in California and Massachusetts currently block the USPS from implementing changes under a March executive order signed by Donald Trump.
“If the government obtains timely relief from the injunctions, implementation immediately thereafter will provide election officials as much time as possible before the next election to comply with the rule’s preparation standards for Federal Ballot Mail envelopes, and to prepare to submit data to the Federal Ballot Mail Portal (‘Portal’), before the mail-in and absentee ballots subject to this rule are mailed (which generally occurs in September or thereafter, as determined by state law),”
Trump administration urges Supreme Court to allow mail-in voting order before midterms
A 2025 Brookings Institution study found only about four cases of fraud out of every 10 million mail ballots cast.
The Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration in June, finding that states can count ballots that arrive after Election Day.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, nominated by Barack Obama, agreed in June to halt implementation for the Nov. 3 elections.
“And the injunction is especially indefensible because the agencies are still deliberating over how (if at all) to implement the Order, yet the district court preemptively decided that whatever the agencies may choose to do will necessarily be unlawful,”