Supreme Court blocks Trump's plan to restrict mail-in ballots
The US Supreme Court has blocked President Trump's attempt to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. While the court upheld a lower judge's order, conservative justices indicated that the legal battle over the Postal Service's authority is likely to continue.
Why it matters
The ruling is a significant development in the ongoing debate over election integrity and voting access in the United States.
Image source, Getty Images By Lisa Lambert , Washington and Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu Published 15 September 2026, 00:55 BST Updated 8 hours ago The US Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump's plan to restrict voting by mail before November's midterm elections, in a setback for the White House.
The justices upheld a federal judge's order that temporarily blocked the US Postal Service (USPS) from moving forwards with new requirements for postal ballots.
But it is unlikely to be the final word on the matter. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative, agreed with the ruling, but indicated he might later rule in Trump's favour as litigation in the case continues.
Trump, who argued the rules would combat electoral fraud, signed an executive order in March directing the USPS to deliver ballots only to voters on lists of citizens.
Legal challenges argued that the move violated states' constitutional rights to run elections.
Also covering this story
7 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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