In loss for Trump, U.S. Supreme Court won't let Postal Service restrict mail ballots
The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the Postal Service from enforcing new rules on mail-in ballots ahead of the midterm elections. The decision upholds a lower court injunction, preventing the agency from rejecting ballots based on specific envelope and barcode standards.
Why it matters
This ruling impacts the accessibility of mail-in voting, a key point of contention in U.S. elections that could influence the balance of power in Congress.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday (September 14, 2026) to let the U.S. Postal Service enforce a rule targeting mail-in ballots, dealing a setback to President Donald Trump’s effort to restrict voting by mail ahead of November’s midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
The Justices denied the Justice Department’s request to lift a ruling by Boston-based U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani that blocked the Postal Service from enforcing the measure while legal challenges by states and voting-rights groups proceed. The agency adopted the measure after Trump issued a March executive order aimed at tightening rules governing mail voting.
“The government is unlikely to succeed on the merits of its challenge to the District Court’s preliminary injunction,” the court said in its brief, one-paragraph order.
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