U.S. Supreme Court rejects Trump's bid to restrict mail-in ballots ahead of November midterms
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to lift a lower court ruling that blocked new U.S. Postal Service restrictions on mail-in ballots. The decision maintains current voting procedures ahead of the November midterms, despite dissent from conservative justices.
Why it matters
The ruling impacts the accessibility of mail-in voting, a key point of contention in U.S. elections that often splits along partisan lines.
The justices denied the Justice Department's request to lift a ruling by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston that blocked the U.S. 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.
Justice Samuel Alito, joined by fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, dissented from Monday's decision, comparing some of the challengers' claims to a "Hail Mary pass" that is "unlikely to be successfully completed," using a football analogy.
"The Postal Service has broad authority to regulate the mail," Alito added.
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