Rules Designed to Create Chaos
The Atlantic reports that the Trump administration is attempting to restrict mail-in voting by imposing new administrative hurdles through the U.S. Postal Service. Legal experts warn that these measures could lead to mass disenfranchisement ahead of the midterms.
Why it matters
The article addresses critical concerns regarding the integrity and accessibility of the democratic process and the limits of executive power over federal agencies.
The Trump administration is hoping to put so many restrictions on mail-in balloting that people simply won’t be able to vote that way at all.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Shutterstock. September 11, 2026, 9:12 AM ET Share Save Donald Trump hates mail-in voting. He has described it as “dangerous,” “corrupt,” “horrible,” and “a fraud.” Last year, in a Truth Social post festooned with capital letters and exclamation points, he announced that he would be signing an executive order to do away with mail-in ballots entirely. That order never materialized, possibly because the president has absolutely no legal authority to carry out such a ban. The federal government plays only a small role in administering elections, and the Constitution locates those authorities with Congress, not the president.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in