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
Florida State University law professor Michael Morley said that if the Court views the rules primarily as an attempt by the President to regulate federal elections, the Court is likely to invalidate it.
The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to uphold the injunction preventing Trump's executive order from being implemented ahead of the midterms.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the ruling.
Trump's attacks on mail-in voting and midterm implications
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court's mailed ballot ruling.
The Supreme Court rejected Trump's plan to restrict mail-in ballots.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche answered questions from reporters on behalf of the president at the White House.
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.
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.
Twenty-nine percent of Americans voted by mail in the 2024 presidential election.
More than 20,000 votes were rejected in Washington state's August primary because they arrived late at an election office.
“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
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.
Blanche defended Trump's criticism of the court, saying the president should voice concerns about another branch of government in a democracy.
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.
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.
Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin began sending mail ballots to voters over the past week.
Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, a Republican, said the decision means Utahns can have confidence that the 2026 election will proceed as normal.
Guardian First Thing: States cleared for mail-in voting after Supreme Court ruling (roundup)
Under Microsoft's code of conduct, AI models must not consider requests related to weapons development, produce violent or sexually explicit content, or help with the procurement of dangerous substances.
California governor Gavin Newsom said he will not run for president if Kamala Harris does.
Microsoft has published a provisional code of conduct to apply to the training of new AI models.
“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.”
Trump mail-in voting restrictions blocked by second judge
The Supreme Court lifted an earlier freeze by Judge Talwani late last month using the same reasoning that the lawsuit was brought too early.
Judge Nichols wrote that absent an injunction, there is an increased risk that a significant number of otherwise appropriate absentee or mail-in ballots will not be counted in upcoming elections.
The new Postal Service regulations stem from an executive order Trump issued earlier in 2026.
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's attempted crackdown on mail-in voting
Claims about the threats posed by mail-in voting have become a cornerstone of Republican midterm election rhetoric.
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
Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the Supreme Court to stay Talwani's injunction, arguing the new rule is a lawful exercise of USPS's express statutory authority.
A federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to lift a lower court's order that blocked new rules for mail ballots before the midterms.
The rule requires postal workers to review and verify ballot mail being sent to voters, and non-compliant ballot mailings will be returned to election offices.
U.S. appeals court rejects Trump's bid to impose mail-in voting restrictions before midterms
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.
The US supreme court blocked Trump's efforts to introduce new requirements around mail-in voting.
A US appeals court rejected Donald Trump's bid to impose restrictions on mail-in voting before November's midterm elections.
US appeals court rejects Trump bid to implement new vote-by-mail rules
An anonymous whistleblower statement released on September 1 by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal alleged the Postal Service rushed to implement the new rules, resulting in a faulty system that risks disrupting mail-in ballot delivery.
The appeals court found it would be impossible for some states to reprint compliant envelopes in time.
The new rules were released by the US Postal Service in late August.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to restrict mail-in voting before midterms
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.
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.
Trump administration appeals to Supreme Court to allow mail ballot restrictions
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani extended an order against the Postal Service enforcing President Donald Trump's executive order for the November elections.
The Trump administration renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court to allow new restrictions on mail ballots.
The Supreme Court has allowed the plan to move forward but has not ruled on whether it is legal.
Washington state blocks new Trump mail voting rules
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to restrict mail-in voting in March.
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said the midterm election in Washington will be safe, secure, and accessible.
The new USPS rules would have required a new envelope with a barcode for mail-in ballots.
Federal judge extends block on Trump order restricting mail-in voting and USPS mail ballot rules
The Trump administration quickly appealed Friday's ruling.
USPS has said in court filings that the technology needed to administer the order is not available.
Trump signed the executive order imposing restrictions on mail-in voting in March.
Midterm mail ballots begin amid litigation uncertainty
In California, nearly 150,000 voters had their mail-in ballots rejected in the state's June primary, mostly because they were postmarked too late.
About 5,000 ballots will go out during Wake County's first wave.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is among Democratic state officials challenging Trump's executive order and the Postal Service changes in a lawsuit.
North Carolina becomes first state to send out mail-in ballots for US midterms
North Carolina became the first state to start sending out mail-in ballots for November's US midterm elections on Friday.
Judge Talwani froze key parts of the plan again on 27 August.
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.
GOP mail-in voting proposal could impact millions before midterms
Laurel Lee served as Florida's secretary of state from 2019 until May 2022.
Sen. Ashley Moody is leading a corresponding bill in the Senate.
President Trump issued an executive order in March 2025 setting an Election Day deadline for when mail-in ballots can be received.
Vote-by-mail controversy in the US
According to 2024 estimates, about 99 percent of votes in Oregon were cast through the mail.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal made public a whistleblower complaint on September 2, 2026 detailing problems with the Postal Service's plans to restrict mail-in voting.
A lower court in Massachusetts blocked Trump's March executive order, ruling that the Trump administration had overstepped its constitutional authority.
Federal judge considers extending ban on USPS mail ballot changes
In June 2025, Talwani prohibited the administration from implementing Trump's executive order for the November election, ruling the changes came too close to voting.
Talwani imposed a 14-day temporary restraining order on the USPS mail ballot plan the week before the hearing.
The USPS has not identified a single state that has opted into the system as of the hearing.
Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down South Carolina Mail-In Voting Restriction
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.
A lower court initially dismissed the younger voters' argument before the case went to the Fourth Circuit on appeal.
“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,”
Judge temporarily blocks new Postal Service rules for mail-in voting
Trump issued an executive order in March seeking to restrict 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 administration appeals ruling blocking mail voting order
Under Trump's executive order, the U.S. Postal Service could refuse to deliver ballots from states that do not submit lists of eligible voters and follow a uniform envelope style.
The White House calls the plan a set of commonsense measures aimed at protecting ballot security.
The first mail ballots of the general election are scheduled to be sent out September 4.
“I’m hoping that federal judges continue to hold the line on their constitutional authority and duty,”
Federal Judge Continues Block on Trump Bid to Restrict Mail-In Voting
District Judge Indira Talwani blocked the US Postal Service's new ballot rules for 14 days.
A hearing on the refiled challenge is set for September 3.
The Supreme Court dismissed an earlier ruling against the USPS rules on the grounds that the legal challenge was filed too early.
“have neither time nor funds”
Federal judge halts Trump executive order limiting mail voting in midterms
The executive order was Trump's second related to elections since he returned to office.
Judge Talwani was nominated to the bench by Barack Obama.
A report by the Brookings Institution published in 2025 found that mail voting fraud occurred in about four cases out of every 10 million mail ballots cast.
US Postal Service mail-in ballot restrictions in effect
State attorneys-general argue the restrictions are unconstitutional and would inflict significant, imminent, and irreparable harm on states.
The Supreme Court did not decide on the constitutionality of Trump's executive order.
A new court challenge was filed in a federal court in Massachusetts on Wednesday by 24 states.
“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,”
US Postal Service implements new mail ballot rules tied to Trump order
The US Postal Service said new requirements for mail-in voting are now in effect.
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.
The USPS said the new rule would be implemented immediately, applying to ballots for November's US midterm elections.
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
The League of Women Voters originally filed a separate lawsuit against the Postal Service, and on Wednesday asked for a new court order blocking the mail voting plan.
Judge Talwani said the executive order could unleash "chaos" and referred to it as "likely unconstitutional."
The first mailed ballots are set to be sent out the week following the lawsuit filing.
Supreme Court allows Trump vote-by-mail limits
Letitia James, New York's attorney general, called the court's decision a painful setback but said her office was exploring all legal options.
About 30% of all ballots were cast by mail in the 2024 presidential election, according to federal data.
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.
US Postal Service Establishes New Procedures for Mail-In Ballots
State election authorities would have to enter voter information into a federal ballot mail portal before a ballot is accepted into the mail stream.
The USPS announced that the rule will be officially published on August 26.
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
The proposed rules would prevent the USPS from distributing mail-in ballots in states that do not comply with federal demands for voter records.
The USPS published a 95-page proposed rules document regarding mail-in ballot restrictions on a Friday.
Trump returned to office for a second term in 2025.
USPS Enacts Stricter Mail-In Ballot Handling Rules Amid Court Scrutiny
Two federal court injunctions in California and Massachusetts currently block the USPS from implementing changes under a March executive order signed by Donald Trump.
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.
“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),”
USPS issues mail-in ballot restrictions despite court order
US District Judge Indira Talwani blocked the mail-in voting rules from taking effect in June.
The United States Postal Service published a final draft of its proposed rules restricting the use of mail-in ballots under President Donald Trump.
In March, Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Postal Service to implement new rules concerning mail-in ballots.
“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,”
Trump administration urges Supreme Court to allow mail-in voting order before midterms
Trump ordered the government in March to create a 'state citizenship list' of eligible voters and deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.
The executive order calls for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the commissioner of the Social Security Administration to send state officials federal citizenship lists to determine eligible voters.
The Justice Department asked the justices to halt lower court decisions blocking the executive order's changes in nearly half the country.
“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,”